The Book of Lies
by Bex-La-Get
Summary: Hermione's world is turned upside down when she receives some startling news. But with the help of some friends, she'll learn to embrace her new life while staying true to her old one. Harmony. No definitive update schedule. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling.
1. Prologue

_**A/N: Hi all! This is my take on the pureblood Hermione AU. Please note this story has no update schedule as of right now because the only chapters that have been written is this and the first chapter. I will update as I see fit but I do also have my hands full with TCC so please be patient with me. If you have any questions or comments, Tumblr is the best place to reach me since I can access it easier through my phone (link is on my profile).**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Prologue:**

For as long as I can remember, I've kept a book of all the truths that I know. When I was eleven years old and I got my Hogwarts letter, I wrote down that I finally knew why I was different. I was a witch. After the Sorting, I wrote down that I was in Gryffindor. After the troll attack, I wrote about my new friendship with Harry and Ron. I'm sure you can get the idea from there.

This book has been my companion and reassurance for the last twenty-four years of my life. In school, it was a reassurance that I was more than what the whispers were saying; I was more than just a mudblood or a know-it-all. During the war, it was a reminder of what I was fighting for, of what I wanted to accomplish. After Ron and I broke up, it was a companion that kept me company as I healed from a broken heart.

Now… now, this book means nothing to me. This book no longer holds everything I've ever known to be true; instead, it holds hundreds and hundreds of lies that I have been told over the years. What once contained memories (good and bad) now only contains falsehoods.

As I stare at the book, I feel a strong urge to throw it in the fireplace and watch it burn. I want to set it ablaze and watch as all the lies that book contains burns up until it's nothing more than a pile of ashes.

I want to do this, but I don't. Despite the hundreds of lies the book holds, it also holds a few truths; not many, but enough for me to hold off from burning it. For now.

The few truths that I'm holding onto are these: my name is Hermione, I was born September 19, 1979. I was a Gryffindor at Hogwarts and saved the world by helping destroy Voldemort's horcruxes and fighting in the final battle of the war.

After that, everything I've ever known to be true in my life is a lie.

* * *

 _ **Please review!**_


	2. The Muggleborn

_**A/N: There is a board on my Pinterest page with facecasts and other shenanigans for this story. Link is on my profile.**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Muggleborn**

"What do you mean I'm adopted?" I exclaim. "That's not possible!"

"I'm afraid it's true, Miss Granger," the Ministry social worker explains. "Your muggle parents are actually your adopted parents."

I take a deep breath and try to steady my rapid heartbeat and shaking hands. "Okay; so if my parents are actually _not_ my parents, then who is?"

The social worker hands me a file and I take it hesitantly. When I open the file to the first page, I nearly fall out of my chair. "This- this can't be! I'm- but- _what_?!"

He looks at me, sadly, understanding my confusion. "It's true. Why you were put up for adoption, I'm afraid I don't know but if you would like to find out more information from these people, I can give you their contact information. I know the grandson lives in Oxford, if that helps at all."

I nod. "It- it does, thank you." I pause for a moment before speaking again. "Are you sure my parents' memories can't be fixed?"

He shakes his head, sadly. "I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. You did quite a good job on them. But please know that they're happy; they will live out a full and happy life together. You saved their lives, Miss Granger. Please know that you did the right thing in the end because you saved them."

I nod, trying to fight back the tears. We stand and shake hands before he escorts me out of his office. As I walk to the floo, my mind is swarming with a million thoughts at once. I can't distinguish one from the other. I don't even realize that I'm home until I sit on my couch and stare at the file in my hands.

Taking a deep breath, I open the file and reread everything inside. I barely process everything that I'm reading but I do process one thing. My eyes scan the piece of paper in front of me and the first lie has already been exposed: my name is not Hermione Granger and I am not a muggleborn witch.

My real name is Hermione Cordelia Scamander, daughter of Felix and Lucinda Scamander, granddaughter of Newt and Porpentina Scamander, sister to Rolf Scamander; pureblood; born in New York City.

And the first brick falls.

* * *

"Holy shit!" Harry exclaims.

Of course he was the first person I told about this new discovery, we're best friends for a reason! We've been relying on each other a lot over the last few years; between our breakups with Ron and Ginny respectively, the stress of our jobs, and me desperately trying to find my parents and restore their memories ever since the end of the war, Harry's become my rock and I've become his.

After explaining everything the ministry worker told me and showing him the file, I finally feel the tears I've been holding back release and I fall into his arms, sobbing. He leads us to the couch and holds me as I cry my eyes out. I'm crying for so many things: the loss of my parents, all the lies I've ever been told, my utter confusion at what to do next. I've never felt so lost.

I don't know how long I cry in Harry's arms but I'm so grateful that he's here. He conjures a box of tissues for me and hands me one and I make a sound that's between a chuckle and a sob as I wipe my eyes and nose with it. I sit up and run my fingers through my hair as he rubs small circles into my back. I sigh and drop my arms. "Harry, I don't know what to do."

"What do you _want_ to do?" he asks.

I shake my head. "I- I don't know." I hate not knowing. "What would you do?"

I can tell he doesn't have to think about this when he answers. "I would send them a letter. I would explain your findings and ask if you can meet. At this point, it's really the only thing you _can_ do."

I nod in agreement. "I think you're right."

So, with Harry's help, I write a letter to Rolf Scamander explaining everything that I've just discovered. I ask him if we could meet soon and if he was willing to answer my questions, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions he might have. With the letter sealed in an envelope, I send it off with my owl, Athena.

"And now we wait," Harry says.

"And now we wait," I repeat.

He looks at me and smiles. "Well, while we're waiting, what do you say we go grab some food, hm? I'm dying for some good Chinese food."

I hesitate. "Harry, I'd love to, I'm just not so sure I'm in the mood for it, right now."

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun! My treat."

I smirk. "Well, if you're buying."

He laughs and offers me his arm as we head out to grab some food and try to get my mind off this insane development of my life.

* * *

When we return to my place a few hours later, I'm in much higher spirits than when we left. Harry's always had this way of making me feel better, no matter the situation. When we see Athena sitting on one of my dining chairs with a letter tied to her foot, however, both of us immediately sober up. I take the letter from her and read it as Harry gives her a couple of treats before she flies to her perch. I feel Harry drawing circles into my back as he reads over my shoulder.

 _Miss Granger,_

 _Thank you for your letter. I do apologize that you had to find out about your true heritage in such a manner. I am incredibly grateful that you have owled me, however, and I would be more than happy to meet with you and answer any questions that you may have. I'll be in London next weekend; perhaps we could meet then? You choose the time and place, I'll be happy wherever._

 _I look forward to meeting you._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Rolf Scamander._

Before Harry can even ask me what I'm going to do, I have another sheet of parchment out and I'm writing a response to him suggesting a little cafe in muggle London at around noon. I send Athena off with the letter and take a deep breath.

"I'm going to meet my brother next week."

"How do you feel?" Harry asks.

I shake my head. "Right now, I have no idea; I'm feeling so many things at once, I'm not sure how to handle it all."

"Well, if it's any consolation, you've been handling it pretty well so far."

I chuckle. "Thanks, Harry."

He pulls me into a hug and I sigh, knowing that no matter the outcome after I meet with Rolf, at least I'll still have Harry to be a constant in my life. Merlin knows I could use some consistency right now.

* * *

I'm sitting in a little cafe in London clutching my cup of coffee like a lifeline. Rolf is supposed to be here any minute and I have no idea how I'm going to handle this once he gets here. Every now and then, I take a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself.

 _I can do this,_ I think. _I've survived war, torture, and NEWTs. I can do this._

And then he walks in. I spot him the second he enters the cafe: tall, dark hair like mine, hazel eyes that show the anxiety he's feeling, and the smile I've seen on my own face many times all tell me that this is Rolf Scamander. This is my brother.

I stand up and smile as he approaches me.

"Hello, Rolf," I say as I shake his hand.

"Hello, Hermione."

* * *

 ** _A few things:_**

 ** _1) Yes, this a Harmony story._**

 ** _2) Yes, Hermione's owl is named Athena; I thought it was fitting for an owl and who doesn't love irony?_**

 ** _3) Don't be afraid to ask questions, comments, or even say hi on Tumblr! I don't bite, I promise._**

 ** _Stay Golden, everyone!_**


	3. The Meeting

_**A/N: Hi lovelies! Hope you're all well! Thanks for the wonderful reviews, I'm so glad you guys like the story so far! Keep them coming!**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 2: The Meeting**

We sit in silence as Rolf processes everything I've just told him. I've explained about my parents- or adoptive parents, I guess- and my life growing up as a muggleborn. I told him about my attempt to restore my parent's memories only to find that they weren't my real parents, after all and that's when I found out about him.

As I've spoken, he's also told me about himself: he was born February 3rd, 1978 in Manhattan. He went to Ilvermorny in America then travelled to Brazil for a year with his- _our_ \- grandfather after graduation to begin his education on magizoology. He moved to Oxford about two years ago to be closer to our grandparents who live in Dorset.

"Are you working?" he asks.

I nod. "Yes, I'm- well, I own Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley."

His eyebrows raise at this. "Really?"

I nod. "I became good friends with the owner over the years and when she retired, she wanted me to take over for her. I accepted and I've been running the store ever since."

"Do you enjoy it?"

I smile and nod. "Yeah; I've always loved reading so being surrounded by books everyday is probably the best thing I could ever want for a job." He smiles at me. "What about you?" I ask. "Are you still into magizoology?"

He nods. "Grandad's been teaching me about it all for as long as I can remember. Everything I've learned is from him."

I chuckle but my smile starts to fall as I begin to think of this family that I knew nothing about.

"What is it?" Rolf asks. I don't answer immediately. "Hermione, I know you have more questions. Please, don't be afraid to ask them. Whatever answer I don't have, we'll try to find the answer together."

My lips curve into another smile but it doesn't go very far. "Do- do you know why… why I was adopted?"

He sighs and shakes his head. "When you were about two years old, mum and dad took us to the park to play; mum and dad stayed by our picnic spot while you and I went off to the playground. While we were there, you and I somehow got separated and while I went to find mum and dad to let them know, you had vanished. No one saw you leave, by yourself or with anyone else. Mum and dad eventually put together that you had been kidnapped and the person who took you must have apparated away the second they got you.

"We never stopped looking for you, Hermione. We searched high and low for you for _years_. Dad scoured the country for two, almost _three_ years trying to find you. We contacted everyone we knew in other countries asking if they had seen you but no one had. Now, I know why: you were living with muggles, which is something we never considered. Now, I feel like kicking myself for not thinking of it earlier."

"Don't beat yourself up, Rolf," I say, putting my hand over his. It's the first physical contact we've had since shaking hands; instead of feeling awkward, however, it feels nice. Like I really am comforting my brother rather than just someone I just met. "You couldn't have known where I'd ended up. And besides, I didn't have a bad life. My parents were quite wonderful; they were dentists and owned their own office, they always supported me and were incredibly proud of me when I got accepted into Hogwarts. They were good people."

He smiles and nods. "I only wish I could thank them for taking such good care of you. I'm sorry you can't bring them back."

I shake my head. "It's alright. The important thing is that they're safe and happy."

He squeezes my hand before speaking again. "Mum and dad never gave up on trying to find you. They never stopped believing that they would see you again someday." I can tell by the tone of his voice that that wouldn't be happening. "Sadly, dad passed away of a heart attack two years ago; mum followed him a year later, dying from a potion experiment gone wrong." My heart tightens at this news and I squeeze his hand as I see he's trying to keep his composure. "I promised both of them that I wouldn't stop trying to find you. I'd see that our family was reunited, even if they were no longer around to see it for themselves. I can't describe how happy I am that this day came. I admit, I was beginning to lose hope."

"Did you ever find out who kidnapped me?"

His eyes darken. "No; bastard got as far away as he could before we could catch him. Good thing, too; if I ever met him, I'd probably kill him on the spot."

I squeeze his hand. "Don't let him get to you, Rolf. Yes, he took me away from all of you but we've found each other now. That's the important thing."

His eyes lighten and he gives me a small smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I return the smile. "So, what now?"

"Now, we right the wrongs. I've finally found my long-lost sister and I have no intention of letting you get away this time." I nod in agreement. "With your permission," he continues, "I'd like to add your name to the Scamander vault and change any documents that have you down under your adoptive name. You don't have to change your name to Scamander if you don't want to; I'd understand if you wanted to honor your family by keeping their name. But, by changing all the documents, you'll legally be a Scamander allowing for you to have access to any and all family records, vaults, etc. Would that be alright with you?"

I nod, grinning. "Thank you."

"Of course, Hermione." He brushes a loose curl behind my ear. "What are siblings for?"

I chuckle at that. "That's going to take a while to get used to."

He nods, understandingly. "Of course. Just know that you won't have to get used to it alone." He pauses for a moment before speaking again. "There's something else: I told Granny and Grandad about your letter and our meeting. They'd like to meet you."

"I'd like to meet them too."

He bites his bottom lip (a nervous habit that I also do) before speaking. "I'm going to have dinner with them tonight. Would you like to join me?"

I hesitate but realize my want to meet my grandparents overwhelms my anxiety about my new life. "I'd love to," I say.

* * *

Scamander Cottage is exactly what I imagined it would be: small and cozy, yet tons of character. It has a brick exterior with a slate roof and beautiful plants growing all around it; on one side of the house, a large vine with pink flowers resides on the exterior wall. It's incredibly welcoming which is a relief for the knots in my stomach. Rolf stands next to me and must sense my apprehension because he squeezes my hand in comfort. "You ready to meet our grandparents?"

I shrug. "About as ready as I'll ever be," I say.

He chuckles and walks towards the cottage, me following a few paces behind. He walks right into the cottage as if walking into his own home (which this kind of is, in a way) but I hesitate in the doorway.

"Granny! Grandad! I'm here!" Rolf exclaims.

An elderly woman comes out from another room- I assume it's the kitchen- with a towel over her shoulder and hugs Rolf; an elderly gentleman with glasses follows her and greets Rolf happily. It takes only a few minutes to process that this couple is Newt and Porpentina Scamander- my grandparents.

"Granny, grandad, I'd like you to meet Hermione," Rolf says, pulling me from the doorway and into the foyer. Both of their eyes widen as they look at me. Porpentina is the first to approach me; she lightly pushes some bangs from my face and her eyes begin to water as she looks at me. "Merlin, you look so much like your mother; but you have Felix's eyes."

I give her a small smile which she returns. "My name is Porpentina Scamander," she says, extending her hand. I take it and shake her hand firmly, despite feeling like I'm about to turn to mush. "This is my husband, Newt; but I'm sure you knew that already. Welcome to our home, dear."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Scamander-" I begin.

"Oh, please dear. Mrs. Scamander was my mother-in-law! Please, call me Tina. Although, hopefully someday, you'll feel comfortable to call us Granny and Grandad," she smiles at me.

Her smile is infectious that I can't help the one that grows on my face. "Tina, for now, then. Thank you for inviting me into your home."

"The pleasure is all ours," Newt says, coming up to me. I extend my hand out to him but he rejects it and instead, pulls me into a bone crushing hug. At first I'm caught off guard but Rolf's laugh relaxes me and I wrap my arms around my grandfather. While wrapped in his hug, I inhale a smell that relaxes me even more: the smell of soil and coffee.

When we break the embrace, Tina ushers us into the kitchen and sits us at a small table in a little nook just off to the side of the kitchen. Rolf sits next to me as she and Newt fiddle around the kitchen. Tina places a cup of tea in front of me before she and Newt begin to ask me questions about my life with my muggle parents and my life at Hogwarts. We glide over the topic of the war but they acknowledge what I did in it and smile at me proudly as Rolf brings up the Order of Merlin I was awarded after the war ended. I glare at him for bringing up that detail but he shrugs, unphased. Oh yeah, there's no doubt about it: we are definitely siblings.

When they ask about my friends, I go into detail about the Weasleys, Luna, Neville, and of course, Harry. I tell them about how Ron and Harry saved me from the troll attack First Year and how I've been saving their arses ever since. They laugh at that.

"Sounds like your mother and father. Felix was always getting into trouble left and right; every time Lucy got him out of it, she'd lecture him for hours at a time! Both Newt and I agree that if it weren't for her, your father would have most likely ended up transfigured into a kneazle or something and kept as a pet for the rest of his life by someone that he ticked off."

Rolf laughs. "Dad was always one for good pranks, even if it did land him in a little bit of hot water. He was always twisted like that."

"You'll have to meet the Weasley twins," I say. "They're about the only people I know who can prank Minerva McGonagall and survive."

That gets a laugh out of all of them. "Tell them I look forward to meeting them, then," Rolf says and my smile falters a little. "What?"

"Well, I- I haven't exactly told the Weasleys about all this yet. The only person who knows is Harry."

"Did you not want to tell them?" Newt asks.

"It's not that; I just wanted to wait until Rolf and I met and talked before I went to them and told them that everything I've ever known in wrong and that I'm actually related to the Scamander family. The Weasleys are wonderful people, don't get me wrong, but I didn't want to be interrogated before I had more information on what I plan to do now that I know who I really am."

"And what do you plan to do?" Tina asks.

I shrug. "Get to know the family I never knew I had and make peace with a few things."

"Like what?" Tina asks.

I dig through my bag and pull out a leather book with a clasp that keeps it closed. I place it on the table and put my hand on top of it. "This book holds everything I've ever known- or in this case, thought- to be true. Every time something has happened in my life that I know for a fact, I've written in down in this book; it's kept me sane for years. But now, a lot of the facts in here are false. I'd like to correct every falsehood in here before I destroy it."

"Why would you destroy it?" Rolf asks.

I sigh and fiddle with the clasp. "It holds too many memories. Some good, some bad; but at the end of the day it holds a lot of memories that no longer apply to my life. My mum and dad are gone; they're safe and happy but they can't be a part of my life anymore. As it turns out, I'm not a muggleborn but a pureblood and the war has been over for five years. I don't need it anymore." I take a deep breath before continuing. "Me wanting to correct any lies in here is just my way of finding closure. The last chapter of my old life, if you will."

Newt and Tina smile at me in understanding. Rolf places his hand over mine and squeezes before running his fingers along the book. "May I?" he asks. I nod and slide it over to him. He unclasps it and opens to the first page. "'Things I know to be true,'" he reads. "'Number one: my name is Hermione Jean Granger.' Well, that's an easy one to correct, isn't it?"

I chuckle and nod, taking the muggle pen out of it's slot and crossing that one off and write my birth name on there. "Hermione Cordelia Scamander," I say, surprised at how natural it sounds when I speak it. "That's quite a mouthful, isn't it?"

Newt laughs and joins us at the table. "Your mother loved the name Cordelia but your father liked the name Hermione; they argued about it for months until they finally compromised and gave you both names."

Rolf chuckled. "I struggled with it for a while. I couldn't pronounce either name so I just called you Minnie."

Newt laughs. "Minnie Mander to be exact, since Rolf couldn't pronounce Scamander either."

Rolf blushes in embarrassment but returns his attention to the book. "'Number two: I'm a muggleborn witch.' Not anymore," he mutters and I can't help the chuckle that escapes my lips. "'Number three: I'm a Gryffindor.'"

Newt busts out laughing at that. " _That_ does not surprise me in the slightest, at all. From what I've heard about you, you're every bit as brave as a Gryffindor should be. I was a Hufflepuff myself, you know."

"I think I read that in _Hogwarts: A History_ ," I smile. "You're quite a celebrity amongst that house, I hear."

"Oh, really?" Newt asks, intrigued. "Do tell me more."

I laugh at his excitement but I'm saved by Tina declaring that dinner is ready before I have to go into detail about my grandfather's celebrity status. We get up from the table and serve ourselves then make our way to the dining room where the conversation continues. "So, when do you think we'll get to meet Harry and the Weasleys?" Tina asks.

"Well, I still have to break the news to the Weasleys but I know that Harry's been dying to meet you all ever since he found out." I pause as an idea occurs to me. "Are you all free on Sunday night? We could all do dinner at my place and you'd be able to meet Harry."

All three look at each other and smile before agreeing.

* * *

 ** _Please review!_**


	4. Breaking the News

_**A/N: Morning lovelies! Two of my classes were cancelled today so you get a chapter update in celebration! Yay!**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Breaking the News**

"Hermione!" Harry calls from the kitchen. "Can you come look at this, please?"

"I'll be right there!" I yell from my room. I put some shoes on before going downstairs to see how dinner's coming along. I put Harry in charge of cooking while I made sure the rest of the house was presentable; Crookshanks wasn't very happy with me when I kicked him off my bed to tuck in my sheets properly but he'll forgive me eventually. I check on the chicken that I put Harry in charge of and nod in confirmation that it's done. He turns down the heat and pulls out the asparagus from the oven while I grab plates and silverware from my cabinets and place them on the counter.

"Do I look okay?" I ask, suddenly very self-conscious.

He looks at me confused until he sees the anxiety in my eyes and smiles. "You look great, Hermione. I don't know why you're so worried; you've met them all already. If anything, I should be worried since I'm not just meeting your brother but your grandparents too!"

I sigh and run my hands through my hair. "I don't know. This is all so new to me, you know? I just want to get this right."

He chuckles and walks over to me, removing my hands from my hair and rubs his hands up and down my arms. "Hermione, if there's anything I've ever learned over the last _thirteen years_ of our friendship, it's that you do everything right. And even when you don't, it always turns out okay in the end. You've already handled this incredibly well, considering the circumstances." He kisses my forehead and brushes a curl behind my ear. "Everything'll be fine, I promise."

I nod and give him a small smile. I take a deep breath then turn to the dishes and hand them to Harry and assign him to set the table. He chuckles and does as I say but not before we hear my floo roar. "Hello!" Rolf says.

"We're in the kitchen!" I yell.

He walks in, smiling, and immediately I relax. Despite only knowing about him for a couple of days, I already feel incredibly comfortable around Rolf. I can't explain it; only that I'm happy that my brother turned out to be someone I get along with easily instead of someone I clash with.

Harry turns and smiles at him and sticks his hand out. "You must be Rolf; I'm Harry."

Rolf's smile grows a little bit. "Nice to meet you, Harry." He turns to me and pulls me into a hug.

"Thanks for coming," I say.

"Anything for my baby sister," he jokes as we pull out of the hug.

I roll my eyes at him. "I'm only a year younger than you, Rolf; and I'm definitely not a baby."

Harry laughs. "I don't think you were _ever_ a baby, Hermione. You set a teacher on fire when you were _twelve_ ; if that doesn't scream 'not a baby,' I don't know _what_ does."

I laugh at the memory but Rolf just raises his eyebrows. "You set a teacher on fire when you were twelve? How? Better yet, _why_?"

Before I can begin to tell Rolf the story, Harry has me beat and begins to go into detail of the time in First Year when I set Professor Snape on fire but quickly, it turns into a conversation that surrounds Quidditch. I'm grateful when my fireplace roars again and I can escape my kitchen to greet my grandparents in my living room. "Oh thank Merlin you're here! It's been nonstop talk about Quidditch for the last ten minutes!" I exclaim.

Newt and Tina laugh at my exasperation. I share a hug with each of them (something I'm finding easier to do every time I see them) and Tina hands me a bottle of wine as a gift as I lead them into my kitchen where Harry and Rolf are still wrapped up in their conversation.

"Harry," I interrupt, "these are my grandparents." Wow, is that weird to say.

Rolf smiles at my introduction of Newt and Tina and I don't have to look to know that both of them are smiling as well. Harry grins and stands up to introduce himself to my grandparents as I put the wine on the counter and check the food.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter," I hear Newt say.

"Please, call me Harry. Mr. Potter always reminds me of whenever I got into trouble at school."

"Which was all the time," I joke, turning back around and leaning against the counter. Harry scrunches his nose at me and I laugh. "Oh, don't give me that! You know I'm right."

"You're always right!" he concedes.

"And don't you forget it," I wink.

"Although, there was that one time that you turned yourself into a-Oof!" He doesn't finish his sentence as I throw a towel at him to shut him up. "You finish that sentence, Potter, and I'll turn you into cat food and feed you to Crookshanks!" The fact that Crookshanks is nuzzling up against Harry's legs as I say that, only adds to my threat.

Harry laughs and takes the towel off his head but keeps his mouth shut. That doesn't stop Rolf from being curious, though. "What did you do?" he asks.

I sigh and look at my brother. "Rolf, you are going to learn very quickly that there are things that I did while in school that should not be repeated for the sake of my pride or for the fact that no parental figure or brother, for that matter, should know the kind of trouble I caused in my younger years. I will tell you this, though: most of the time, _all_ of the trouble that I got into while in school, was _his_ fault," I say, pointing at Harry.

He shrugs. "Guilty as charged."

We shuffle ourselves around the kitchen as we all serve ourselves some food then sit down at the table and dig in. Harry explains about his job with the Aurors while both of us learn more about my family. Newt and Rolf continue to work in magizoology while Tina prefers Herbology and puts most of her focus these days on her garden and taking care of their kneazles while the boys go off on adventures to find new creatures.

I hide my smile behind my drink as I watch Harry and Rolf very quickly get comfortable around one another and they begin to banter. When Harry invites Rolf to join their club Quidditch games, I know that they're going to be great friends.

After dinner, everyone shuffles into the living room while I pass out the cheesecake I bought for dessert and Tina breaks into the wine she brought over. Currently, we're sitting in the living room, empty plates and half-empty glasses sitting all around the room, laughing at the story of the time that Harry, Ron, and I broke out of Gringotts on the back of a dragon.

"I can't believe they let you back in the building!" Rolf says, wiping tears from his eyes.

"It took a lot of convincing," Harry says. "In the end, the main reason we were let back in was because our break-in led to the fall of Voldemort. They're still not our biggest fans but at least we still have access to our vaults."

"Speaking of access to vaults," Newt says, "Hermione the papers came in this morning; you officially have access to the Scamander vault at Gringotts. I can take you there sometime next week to show you around, if you have any free time."

I smile and nod. "I'd like that, Newt, thank you."

He smiles in return. "There's something else, too."

Tina pulls out a small square from her bag and taps it with her wand to enlarge it. When it's back to it's normal size, I see that it's a photo album. She sits down next to me on the sofa and hands it to me; it's leather shell is aged but still seems to be in good shape and has a beautiful tree carved into the front cover. I lightly run my fingers over it as Tina explains its purpose. "Newt, Rolf, and I went digging for some photos for you to have of your parents and we found this among Felix's old things. It has photos starting as early as Felix's graduation from Ilvermorny all the way to photos of you and Rolf when you were babies."

I flip to the last photo in the album and feel the tears welling up in my eyes. _Lucy, Rolf, and Hermione, Christmas 1980, Manhattan, New York._ The photo is of a beautiful young woman with dark hair and hazel eyes- my mother- holding two small children; Rolf is trying to escape our mum's clutches but she's got a pretty good hold on him while I'm smiling and laughing at who I can only assume is my father behind the camera. I don't realize I'm crying until I feel Harry wrap his arm around my shoulder, once again being my rock.

I sniff and wipe my eyes before turning to my grandparents and my brother. "Thank you. This- this means so much to me. Thank you so much."

They smile at me and before I know it, I'm wrapped in a hug with both my grandparents and my brother. When we finally pull out of the embrace, Tina hands me a handkerchief and I use it to wipe my tears away as we all sit back down. Harry- who had walked away to give us all a moment- comes and sits back down next to me, wrapping a supportive arm around me as I begin to sift through the photos.

"It's magically expanding, so you can add as many photos as you like and it'll never run out of room," Tina tells me. "We figured you could put some photos of your muggle parents in there while adding new photos to it as well."

I nod in agreement. "I can promise you, both of those will be happening as soon as possible."

As the night continues, Harry helps me make a list of photos that will get put into the album while Newt, Tina, and Rolf tell us the stories behind the photos already behind them. By the end of the night, I feel ten times closer to my family and to the parents I'll never get to meet.

* * *

Wednesday night is dinner night at the Weasleys. It's become a tradition for all of us ever since the war ended because we all needed something to be a constant in our lives and dinner with my second family was just the thing for that. Wednesday's were always a good night too since it was a pick-me-up for the middle of the week until we'd all get together again for Sunday brunch. Tonight, we're all sitting in the living room as Molly and Fleur finish up preparing dinner while we all catch up with one another. Ginny and I are talking with Ron's new girlfriend Joanna about her new job at Gringotts while everyone else is scattered all around the room. When Fleur announces that dinner's ready, we all file in and serve ourselves before sitting down at the table and dig in.

"So, Hermione, what have you been up to?" Molly asks and immediately I freeze up. "It's been awhile since we've seen you."

"Oh, you know, just working at the bookstore and… stuff," I say, trying to evade the subject. When Harry kicks me from under the table and glares at me, though, I know that I need to say this. "Actually, there's something I need to tell you all."

They look at me expectantly as I gather my thoughts. Harry gives me a nod in encouragement and I begin to speak. "As you know, a little over a week ago, I went to the Ministry to discuss the retrieval of my parents. While there, I discovered a few things and not all of it is good. First, my parents can't be retrieved. My memory charm was too strong and attempting to remove it could possibly cost them their lives. Not wanting to take that chance, I decided it would be best if they stayed where they are, with their altered memories. Having them alive but not remembering me outweighed the alternative." Everyone nods in agreement with my decision but I do get a few sympathetic looks from some.

I take a deep breath and continue. "I discovered something else though, and before I tell you, I need you to just let me talk. I promise I'll answer any questions you may have after I've explained everything but there's a lot to say and I don't want to get sidetracked." There's a muttering of agreement amongst everyone at the table.

"Thank you. Anyway, while there, I discovered that my parents were not my real parents. As it turns out, I was adopted around the age of two by the muggles you and I came to know as my parents. My _real_ parents are Felix and Lucinda Scamander, and yes, you're thinking of the right Scamander. Apparently, when I was two years old, I was kidnapped from a park and, for some unknown reason, was taken to Cate and Brian Granger and raised as their daughter. An investigation has started to try and figure out why I was taken that day. I'm not expecting anything to turn up since it was so long ago but we figure we have nothing to lose to look into it. According to the documents the Ministry worker gave me, my real name is Hermione Cordelia Scamander, I was born in Manhattan, and- and I'm a pureblood." That's still gotta be one of the weirder things to say out of this whole ordeal. "My grandparents are Newt and Porpentina Scamander and I have an older brother named Rolf. I met with them multiple times last weekend and I've already grown quite close with them all. They're wonderful people and they'd like to meet you. I was hoping to bring them by for Sunday brunch, if that would be alright with you?"

Everyone except Harry sits in a stunned silence as they absorb everything I've just told them. The silence is deafening and now I'm wondering if I should have broken the news differently; or maybe sooner. Harry squeezes my knee from under the table in an attempt to comfort me but I'm so on edge, I barely notice it.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Molly speaks. "We would be more than happy to have them here for brunch on Sunday, dear. I know I speak for the rest of us when I say that we look forward to getting to know them."

I smile, relieved. "Thank you, Molly."

"So, now that you have this knowledge of your real family, are you going to take on the name?" Bill asks.

I shake my head. "Rolf and I talked about that the day we met: he's already signed the papers needed to legally make me a part of the Scamander family and give me access to their vault but I'm keeping the name Granger for now. I'd like to honor my parents with that; if I ever get married, I'll change it then but for now, I'm still the same old Hermione."

"Yeah, same old, pureblood, Hermione with one of the most famous wizards in our world as her grandfather!" Fred jokes. "You haven't changed at all!" I roll my eyes at him and laugh.

"So what is your new family like? Are your parents happy to have you back?" Percy asks.

My smile fades a little and I feel Harry's hand squeeze my knee again. "Actually, I haven't met my real parents. They uh- well, my dad passed away two years ago and my mum followed a year later." I don't go into detail about their deaths because it's personal and I'm already getting sympathy looks from everyone; I don't want more after they find out how my parents died.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione, I- I didn't realize-" Percy begins but I cut him off.

"You couldn't have known, Percy; I didn't say anything beforehand. I'm sorry I won't get to know them but I still have my grandparents and my brother and they've made this whole ordeal so much easier to adjust to."

"They really are great people," Harry chimes in. "I had the privilege of meeting them this past weekend and you can definitely see the resemblance; especially between Hermione and Rolf. I've also invited Rolf to join our Quidditch club so you'll all meet him Saturday."

For the first time since I broke my news, Ron's spoken. "Wait you met him?"

Before Harry can answer, I speak up. "Harry was the first person I called when I found out the truth. I needed an outsiders perspective and he was the first person to come to mind. Harry met them first only because it just worked out that way."

Ron furrows his brows but doesn't lash out at me; I think part of that has to do with Joanna being here. His temper's cooled quite a bit over the years and I think Joanna definitely helps with that. "Is he any good?" he asks.

"What?" I ask.

"Your brother; is he any good at Quidditch?"

 _Hell if I know_ , I think but Ginny beats me before I can respond. "Why? You afraid if he is, he'll beat you?" she taunts.

"No!" Ron says, defensively. "I was wondering because if he is good, I want him on my team!"

"Not if we get to him first!" George exclaims.

"You just _had_ to mention Quidditch," I glare at Harry but he laughs at me, unfazed.

"Let's just hope your brother is as good as everyone is expecting him to be."

* * *

 ** _Please review!_**

 ** _Facecast for Joanna and the Scamander photo album are on the BOL Pinterest board._**


	5. Quality Time

_**A/N: So after weeks of surprisingly warm weather, it's finally snowing here. And it's coming down hard! If it keeps up, maybe they'll cancel classes (I doubt it but it's a nice thought).**_

 ** _Tallyho!_**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Quality Time**

I meet Newt in Diagon Alley first thing Friday morning. He's going to show me around the Scamander vault before we grab lunch at a small cafe around the corner then I'm going to show him my bookstore. We'll be heading back to the Cottage when we're done for dinner with him, Tina, and Rolf.

Newt smiles at me when he sees me and pulls me into a tight hug. I've quickly gotten used to these hugs and, to be honest, I like them. I think it's a type of reassurance for both of us: for him, it's to reassure himself that I'm really here and for me, it's to reassure that despite losing both sets of parents, I still have a family to fall back on. Sure, I always have the Weasleys too but after Ron and I broke up, things between Molly and I got a little tense. After a couple of awkward dinners, I decided to distance myself for a while just until the hurt had passed. Knowing that I have a family I can rely on no matter what, is quite a relief for me.

When Newt releases me from the hug, he smiles at me and offers me his arm. "Shall we?"

"We shall," I smile.

We chat amiably while walking to the bank but stop on the way to the vault as the jolts from the cart make us both a little queasy. Finally, we reach the vault and I can't wait to get off, partially worried I'm about to visit my breakfast again. Once the nausea passes, Newt unlocks the door and allows me to enter first.

When I walk in, I'm absolutely speechless. Not only is the vault huge, but it's full of books, scrolls, documents, maps, everything I could ever imagine! It's like a private library mixed among piles of gold and other valuable items. I completely bypass everything else though and make my way straight to the pile of scrolls on a shelf in the back. I vaguely hear Newt chuckle but I'm quickly captivated by the information in them.

"Was this all my dad's research?" I ask, looking up.

Newt smiles and nods. "Some of it is also your mother's but most of it is Felix's." He pulls another scroll and hands it to me. "This is some of my research; the rest is at the cottage. Felix and I had a bit of a contest to see whether or not some of our research could be expanded on. Most of the information in your father's scrolls will be expansions of the information in mine." He points to a small journal sitting next to the scrolls. "That is Rolf's research. It was originally completely unrelated to mine and Felix's but over the years, he's managed to find a few connections between the two and has added his own expansion of it."

I put the scrolls down and Newt leads me to the shelves of books. "A lot of the books in here are related to magical creatures and a little bit of Herbology but there are a few other selections in here that you are more than welcome to look at any time you like. Same goes for any of the money that's in here. If you ever need some extra money, please, don't be afraid to get what you need from here. This is your vault now, too."

I smile and nod in thanks. We spend a few more minutes in the vault, me grabbing a few research scrolls and a couple books before we head back up to the surface to grab some lunch. While at lunch, we start to talk about Newt's research and how it led to my father trying to either prove or disprove it.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" I ask in disbelief. "They're _real_?!"

Newt chuckles. "Of course, they're real! I ran into a whole family of them while on an expedition with Tina in Sweden. They're quite sweet but you must be calm around them or else they'll feel threatened."

It takes me a second to pick my jaw up from the floor. There's one more thing crossed off the book: Crumple Horned Snorkacks _are_ real! "Oh, you _have_ to meet my friend Luna. She's going to explode when she finds out that not only are they real but that you've met one!"

Newt chuckles. "Is she into magizoology?"

"More like into strange creatures no one's ever heard of but they _do_ actually exist. It's taken me years to realize that she's not just babbling when talking about nargles or wrackspurts or something along those lines."

Newt nods. "I personally find those people the most fascinating. They always have new information and perspectives I've never thought of before."

I start to laugh at that and squeeze his hand. "Oh yeah, you and Luna are going to get along just fine!"

* * *

I floo to Scamander cottage first thing Sunday morning. Immediately, I'm greeted by Hoppy and Milly, two of Newt and Tina's pet Kneazles. Their third Kneazle, Mauler, is currently sleeping on the small dining table off the side of the kitchen. I scratch the back of Hoppy's head while picking up Milly- who's wrapped herself around my feet- and walk into the living room.

"Hello!" I call.

"Hermione, is that you?" Tina replies.

"It's me!"

She appears at the stairs and smiles at me. "Hello, dear! Newt will be down in just a moment. Have you seen Rolf?"

I shake my head. "No, I thought he'd be here."

Tina purses her lips. "Well, I haven't heard from him. Maybe he's-"

"Hello family!" a new voice says, the floo roaring to life along with it.

"There he is," Tina says, smiling.

Rolf walks into the living room and smiles. I put Milly down just in time for Rolf to pick me up into a bear hug. "Rolf, I can't breathe," I laugh.

"Oops, sorry," he says, sheepishly.

Tina comes downstairs and hugs him and he places a light kiss on her temple. "You're looking wonderful tonight, Granny."

"Thank you, dear," she smiles. "What's got you in a good mood?"

He shrugs. "Nothing in particular, I just disproved a theory of Grandad's is all."

"Oh?" Newt says, coming downstairs. "And what theory is that?"

"That merpeople _can_ survive outside of the water for an extended period of time."

Newt's jaw drops. "What? How did you figure that out?"

"I've been studying them for the past six months, learning their behaviors and how they act in their environment. Because I was simply just researching them but leaving them alone, a couple of them began to trust me and I was allowed to get a little closer to observe. Finally, I was able to get close enough to one to ask a few questions; the biggest one being how long they could stay out of the water.

"To answer my question, he hopped out and sat with me for over an hour as I asked him more questions. It was only as he started to dry out that he had to go back into the water. He _did_ say, however, that the longest he's ever heard of a merperson surviving outside the water was over a day. _And_ that merperson is still alive! So, therefore, Grandfather, your theory is wrong. Not only can merpeople survive outside the water for extended period of time, but they can also adjust between environments very quickly!" Rolf bows, very proud of himself.

"Damn it," Newt exclaims. "I guess I owe you those thirty Galleons now, huh?"

Rolf laughs. "Yes you do, but you can give them to me later. I do believe we have a brunch to go to, right?" he asks, looking at me.

"Yes, we do," I say, "and we're running late so we better go before Molly has a cow!"

I usher Rolf to the fireplace to floo to the Burrow with Tina and Newt right behind us.

* * *

Brunch is going very smoothly so far. Everyone welcomed my family with open arms and immediately, I can see that Newt and Arthur are going to be great friends, as well as Tina and Molly. Rolf is very popular amongst the rest of the Weasleys and ever since brunch ended, he's been preoccupied with either the twins, Charlie, or Ron and Ginny.

I'm sitting outside on the porch steps watching Rolf get acquainted with Teddy and Victorie when someone sits next to me. I smile when I look to see that it's Tina. "Enjoying yourself?" I ask.

She laughs. "I don't think I've had this much fun in years! This is a wonderful family you've found yourself a part of, dear."

I smile. "Yeah, they're pretty great. I'm glad you're all getting along so well."

She smiles. "I think that's a bit of an understatement, dear. Your grandfather is in there talking to Charlie about various breeds of dragons right now. Something tells me our next vacation will be to the dragon reserve in Romania."

I laugh. "Well, if I may give a word of advice, dragons make terrible pets. Don't let him try to bring one home."

She looks at me confused and I just shake my head. "Another time," I say.

She smiles and nods in understanding. We sit in silence for a while and watch as Harry joins Rolf to take the kids flying. I chuckle as Teddy tackles Harry to the ground while Rolf bows dramatically and hands Victorie a small bouquet of field flowers. She kisses him on the cheek in thanks then holds his hand as they follow Harry and Teddy down a ways for more room to fly.

"So, you and Harry," Tina says.

"What?" I ask, surprised. She raises an eyebrow and suddenly, I understand what she's saying. "Oh, Tina, no. W-we're- it's not like that. We're just really close is all; we've been best friends since we were eleven and- no. W- we're just friends."

She smirks and shrugs. "Alright dear, I was just curious." Her smirk says otherwise though but I don't allow myself to dwell on it.

"Can I ask you something?" I say.

"Sure," she says.

"This whole pureblood thing is new to me," I begin. "And despite everything we fought for in the war, it's still a pretty big deal to be a pureblood. But from what I understand, being a pureblood opens up this whole new culture that I know nothing about. Are there certain protocols I'm supposed to follow or something?"

She sighs. "That, my dear, is a loaded question because there are so many details surrounding it. However, there are also quite a few loopholes too. Sadly, American culture isn't far off from the whole pureblood thing as well. What I can tell you, though, is that those same rules applied to myself and my sister and we ignored every single one." I laugh at that.

"You're not supposed to take jewelry from a gentleman unless he is a family member or your intended, especially since it's usually a sign that you're accepting a betrothal," she continues, "you're supposed to have an escort with you everywhere (again, either a family member or your intended), and you're not allowed to be in charge of your own household; that responsibility belongs to the man." I can't help but laugh at the way she mockingly says the last part in a fake deep voice, as if mimicking an old man.

She smiles at me and squeezes my hand. "Those are only a few of the rules but they're also the 'most important' or so I've been told. Personally, though, I say screw the rules and do what you want. If anyone tries to question you, tell them to piss off and walk away with your chin held high."

I smile. "I'm not sure some purebloods will be too happy with that," I say.

"Screw them!" Tina says. "If anyone has a problem with you outright rejecting them or their long-standing rules, they can come talk to me and Newt. Both of our answers will be the same as yours." She brushes a curl behind my ear. "And if and when the time comes and you decide to get married, I want you to choose someone you love; not someone who's got the proper breeding or whatever other nonsense they try to sell you."

I grin at her. "Thank you, Tina."

"Of course, dear," she says.

I rest my head on her shoulder and she wraps her arm around me, comfortingly. We stay there, happy and comfortable, until Molly calls us all in for tea. By the end of the night, we're all sitting in the Weasleys living room, sharing stories and laughing. I smile as I watch the Weasleys take my family under their wings: Rolf has been usurped by the Weasleys twins as they discuss their joke shop while Tina, Molly, and Fleur discuss various Herbology methods and Newt is telling Arthur and Bill about America.

Harry comes up next to me and nudges me in the side; he dodges my attempt to get him back, however. "Prat," I joke and he grins. "You and Rolf looked like you were having fun, earlier," I muse.

"We were. He's a good guy, Hermione. I'm glad he turned out to be your brother and not someone like Nott or, worse, Malfoy." We both shudder at that thought.

"Okay, now that I'm mentally scarred from that image," I joke. "He is a good guy though; so are Newt and Tina."

"I can tell they really care about you," he observes.

I nod in response. "Good; 'cause I really care about them too."

* * *

 ** _Thank you to Colubrina for letting me borrow some of her pureblood rules from her fic The Muddy Princess. If you haven't read it, go do so; it's fabulous!_**

 ** _Please review!_**


	6. The Meeting (Part II)

_**A/N: Nothing to report today. Enjoy! *waves***_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: The Meeting (Part II)**

"Hello!" I hear a voice call from downstairs.

"Hey!" I reply, smiling as I come downstairs. I walk over to Rolf and give him a hug.

"You look nice," he says, smiling at me. "A little formal though, don't you think?"

I smooth the front of my dress down. "I wanted to make a good impression," I explain.

His smile grows and he kisses my forehead. "They'd be impressed with you if you were wearing a paper bag, you know."

I laugh at that and my nerves calm somewhat. "While that may be true, I've found paper to be quite irritating on the skin."

He laughs. "Well, we certainly don't want that." He offers me his arm. "Shall we?"

I nod and we floo out of my house, arms linked.

* * *

The last time I was in a cemetery was last Halloween when Harry and I went to lay flowers on James and Lily's grave. I thought, surely, after going there every Halloween since the war, it would get less hard every year.

But I was wrong.

Just like when I see James and Lily's names on that slab of stone, I get the same twist in my gut as I read my own parent's names on their tombstones. The tombstones are lying side by side, their names perfectly etched into each slab. Gods, the slabs still look so new. The dirt has settled and some grass is starting to grow back. But it still looks new.

One look at Rolf and I know he's thinking the same thing.

"Hi mum, hi dad," I say, quietly. "I- I don't know if you can hear me but… it's Hermione." Usually, my logical side would feel stupid for doing this but for once, I'm just listening to my heart instead of my head. "Rolf and I finally found each other. And I know the truth about you two- who you really are- and about what happened to me." My voice cracks but I keep going. "I'm sorry I won't ever get to meet you. I'm sorry you won't get to know the Weasleys or Harry or Luna… I'm sorry both of you were taken before we could meet again.

"You should know, though, that I'm really happy. I'm running a bookstore in Diagon Alley, I have a wonderful little cat named Crookshanks, who happens to be part kneazle, and I have a wonderful older brother who is one of my best friends," I say linking my arm through his. I don't have to look to know he's grinning at me. "You guys did good," I smile.

Rolf pulls me into a tight hug and we stand there for a few minutes, just holding onto each other, making up for lost time. "I mean it, you know," I say when we pull out. "You really are one of my best friends."

He smiles at me. "Good; 'cause you're definitely one of mine."

I smile and we return our attention to our parents, telling them the story of how I found out about my true identity and what I've been doing since the war.

After two hours of talking to our parents, I lay a bouquet of flowers at both of their graves before Rolf and I walk away, arm in arm.

* * *

"Would you mind if we stopped somewhere really quick?" I ask. "I want to visit a friend."

"Sure," Rolf smiles.

I lead him through the crowded streets of Diagon Alley to a small pet shop. "' _Lovegood's Owl Sanctuary_ ,'" Rolf reads. "Is the friend that you're visiting an owl?" he jokes.

"Ha, ha, ha, you're hilarious," I say, rolling my eyes. "Come on!"

I pull him into the store and it's almost jarring how quiet the store is compared to the hustle and bustle outside. I scan the various owls sitting all over the place when I spot a Snowy Owl sitting in the back corner napping. _Perfect_. "Hello!" I call.

"Hermione, is that you?" a voice says, coming from upstairs. I hear shuffling and two owls fly out from behind a green curtain and to their posts when a familiar blonde pokes her head out. "Hello, Hermione."

"Hi, Luna," I smile. Luna comes out from behind the curtain and stands at the top of the stairs, looking down at us. My smile grows as I look at her appearance: she's got various owl feathers braided into her hair, a ring of keys attached to her belt, and her ever present radish earrings hanging from her ears. Oh, good old Luna.

After the war ended, Luna came to Diagon Alley to get an owl for her house only to find Eeylops Owl Emporium in complete disarray and the former owner gone without a trace. She immediately took over the store and completely transformed it, turning it into an even _more_ successful business than before. Her main order of business though was to get the owls out of the cages and to let them have free rein.

"Owls are some of the world's most graceful creatures," she had said. "Caging them up like dogs is a cruel and terrible punishment. These birds are meant to fly and soar the sky as they please; I intend to let them have as much freedom as possible. If they choose to come back, that is up to them. I won't force them to stay."

Oddly enough, almost all of the owls that were part of the Emporium have stayed at Luna's new Sanctuary; most likely due to the great way she takes care of them. After she reopened the Sanctuary, I made a point to be her first customer and got my owl Athena from her. I think that meant a lot to her.

"Luna, I'd like you to meet my brother," I say, looking at Rolf. My brows furrow at his expression as he looks at Luna in awe; I have to jab him in the side to get his attention.

"Huh, what?" he asks.

I roll my eyes. "Rolf, this is my very good friend Luna Lovegood."

Luna's come downstairs by this point to greet us. She smiles at Rolf and shakes his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rolf."

"Likewise, Miss Lovegood," he says, kissing her hand. _Oh shit,_ I think, as I watch the way his eyes never leave hers. He's completely smitten.

Completely oblivious, Luna's eyebrows furrow and she takes her hand from his. "Don't move," she whispers. She puts her hands above his head and clasps them together, catching something in the process. "Gotcha!"

She walks away and holds whatever's in her hand out to a nearby Tawny owl and the bird eats it right up. "There was a Gastrepub by your head. Here," she takes a feather out of her hair and hands it to Rolf, "this will keep them away from you. Why don't you come upstairs? I'll put on some tea" (Side note: Luna lives in a small flat above the Sanctuary because she couldn't bear to leave the owls by themselves).

"What's a Gastrepub?" Rolf asks me as we follow her upstairs.

"A small creature that likes to inhabit in human hair. Similar to lice but worse because they're bigger and nastier. The feather keeps them away," I reply.

"How?"

"Owls eat Gastrepubs," Luna explains, putting a kettle on the stove as Rolf and I sit down on the couch. "Ergo, Gastrepubs flee whenever they sense an owl."

Rolf nods in understanding then looks to me. "So where's your feather then?"

I pull the chain of my necklace up from under my dress to show him the feather sitting at the end. "I get my feathers from Athena whenever she starts to molt and replace it every few months," I say, placing the necklace back under my dress.

"Hermione thinks it's nonsense but she goes along with it just to appease me," Luna says, smiling. There's no malice behind her words either; Luna may be quirky and believe in things you can't see but that doesn't necessarily mean that she's wrong about them. I've learned to not always dismiss the things that she says because she's proven me wrong before.

"I wouldn't go that far, Luna," I say. "I'm starting to believe you more and more; especially recently."

"Oh really," she says. "And why's that?"

I smirk. "You're gonna want to sit down for this one, Luna."

She furrows her brows but complies. I pull out a scroll from my bag and hand it to her. "This scroll contains information from some of my grandfather's research. Rolf has some information on it too but it's currently incomplete, so I haven't included it yet. But I think you're going to like what you find in there."

She unrolls the scroll and begins to read, her eyes getting wider with every word. By the time she's finished, I'm grinning like the Cheshire Cat and she looks torn between crying and laughing. When she looks up, she's managed to control her emotions a little but the grin on her face tells me everything I need to know. "Are you serious?" she says.

I nod. "Completely. That's a copy of the original document and it's yours to keep."

"That's not all," Rolf says. "Hermione was telling us about how you and your father travel all the time to find different creatures that no one else has ever seen. We'd like to invite you and your father to dinner at Scamander cottage to trade information and theories that could possibly help you and your father with your research."

Her eyes water in happiness but her smile falls a little. "I'm flattered and honored by your offer, Rolf, but I'm afraid my father has been sick for a while. I worry he wouldn't be able to make the trip safely without risking his health."

Xenophilius has been sick for a while. There's been some speculation that he's dying but Luna insists that his spirit is simply broken. At first, all of us (me, the Weasleys, Harry) were skeptical at that idea but after Harry and I saw him when we went to visit them, we agreed that maybe Luna's right.

He's weak, yes, but there's still a fire behind his eyes. It's just been dimmed quite a bit. Despite the fact that Harry, Ron, and I forgave him for his actions during the war, we're not quite sure he ever forgave himself. He seems to have given up on his research, only going to work at _The Quibbler_ maybe two or three times a week instead of everyday, like he used to. Now, he just kind of wanders around the house, mindlessly, humming to himself. I know if Luna didn't have her owl sanctuary, she'd move back home in a heartbeat. But she also understands that, if her father is going to get better, it's going to take time and her being back home won't speed up the process in any way.

Personally, I think he's just severely depressed and has lost his will to research. I think this new information from Newt and Rolf, though, will help bring his spirits back up.

"Then we'll come to you," Rolf says, smiling. I told him everything about Luna's father when I was telling him about all my friends. He was super accepting and said he'd contact a Healer he knows to see if he can get any additional information on what Xenophilius might be going through. So far, nothing's come through but we're not giving up yet.

"Oh, I wouldn't want you to feel obligated-" Luna begins but Rolf cuts her off by shaking his head.

"Not at all. I'd love to hear more about the theories you and your father have. Grandad loves to learn about new creatures so any information you have, Grandad would gladly try to get more information on for you."

"This could be good for your dad, Luna," I say. "You've said so yourself, his spirit is broken. Maybe this will help the process of mending it back together."

I see hope flash in her eyes at that prospect and she smiles again, nodding her head. "Okay."

I smile and nod in excitement. "Great! I'll let you two figure out a good time to get together in a moment but first, I have a question for you: how much for the Snowy Owl downstairs?"

* * *

 ** _Please review!_**


	7. The Date

_**A/N: Two midterms down, one to go! But the good news is that last midterm isn't until after Spring Break (which starts Monday) so I have some extra time to study! Yay!**_ _ **Thank you guys for your reviews and love for this story, it keeps me going! And good luck to those of you who are also going through midterms right now! Sending you virtual coffee and encouragement.**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Date**

Rolf and Newt meeting with Luna's dad went incredibly well. Apparently, when Luna took Xenophilius the scroll of the information on Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, it was the first time he had smiled in months. By the time the meeting with Rolf and Newt came, he had been smiling _and_ talking a lot more; it was quite the improvement from him not really doing much at all. Rolf says he still seems to be a little depressed but he agrees with me that sharing their research was a good start to helping him recover.

Also, apparently Rolf is able to form full sentences around Luna now because he asked her out on a date tonight. Which is how we end up here: Luna practically in a panic at my flat as I try to calm her down.

"I don't know what to do, Hermione! I've only been on a few dates before and it was with Neville who was someone I knew and was comfortable with; this is a whole other experience for me. I'm not sure I can do this."

It's very weird to see Luna so frazzled but also kind of endearing to see that she's so nervous about going on a date with my brother. She must really like him.

"You'll be fine, Luna," I reassure her. "Just be yourself." I can see she's hesitant and I squeeze her hands reassuringly. "Luna, from the second Rolf saw you, he was smitten. I promise you, he wouldn't have asked you out if he wasn't interested in you. And you already have so much in common in regards to your research and your fascination with various creatures. You're going to be just fine."

She smiles and nods. "Thanks Hermione."

I return the smile. "So, what are you wearing?"

She shrugs and gestures to her current outfit: jeans, an old jumper and some worn out sneakers. "I don't have anything nice enough for a 'date' outfit."

I chuckle and take her hand. "Come with me." I lead her to my bedroom and start to shuffle through my closet as she sits cross-legged on my bed. "No, no, no, too boring, too flashy, too Fourth Year," I say as I reject a lot of the items in my closet, smiling to myself as I hear Luna laugh at my commentary. "Aha!" I exclaim

I pull out a bright green sleeveless cocktail dress with bright yellow and orange designs on it. It was something I picked out in a moment of insanity after Ron and I broke up because I wanted to do something crazy but after a couple days, I looked at it again and realized that I hated it. But I had already thrown out the receipt so I couldn't return it. Now, I'm glad I didn't. This dress may not be for me but it just _screams_ Luna. By the way that her eyes light up when she sees it, I know I've struck gold.

"Quick, go put this on while I find you some shoes to match," I say. She jumps off my bed and wanders into my bathroom to change while I look for the appropriate shoes to go with the dress. Luna's not much of a high heel kind of girl so I have to find something that will suit her but still work with the dress. In the end, I decide on some simple ballet flats because they're easy to work with and incredibly comfortable.

When Luna walks out of my bathroom, I grin. She looks fantastic! "Luna, you look great!"

She smiles. "Thank you, Hermione. Did you know this dress has pockets?" she asks excitedly.

I laugh and nod. "I had a feeling you would like that. Now come here, I have an idea for what I want to do with your hair."

She sits down at my dressing table and I pull her long hair back and begin to braid it, adding feathers as I go along. Each feather I add, I change the color of them with my wand to match Luna's dress. By the time I'm done, she's grinning at her reflection. "How do you feel now?" I ask.

She nods enthusiastically. "A lot better now. Thank you, Hermione."

Before I can respond, I hear my floo roar downstairs. "Hello?" a voice calls.

"We're up here, Harry!" I reply.

"Who's 'we'?" he asks as he climbs the stairs to my room.

"Get your arse up here and find out," I say, laughing as Luna spins in the middle of my room, grinning like a little kid at Christmas.

"Wow, Luna, you look great!" Harry says as he comes into my room. "What's the occasion?"

"Luna has a date with Rolf tonight," I answer, smiling.

Harry raises his eyebrows. "Really?" He looks to me but I just shake my head and mouth "I'll tell you later." He nods and smiles at Luna. "Well, I hope you have fun on your date, Luna."

She smiles. "Thank you, Harry."

I look at the clock and notice that it's almost six. "Luna, what time did Rolf say he was going to pick you up?"

"Six," she replies.

"Shit!" I exclaim. "You have to get back to your place!" I grab my wand and lower my wards temporarily. "You can apparate from here back to your place."

"Oh, that's not necessary, Hermione. I can just floo-"

"And get soot all over you? Not on my watch," I smirk and Luna laughs.

"Thank you, Hermione; for everything."

I smile and squeeze her hands. "Don't worry about it, Luna. You just have fun tonight; and keep my brother in line, will you? Heaven knows what kind of trouble he could cause."

She smiles and nods. "Will do, Hermione. Bye Harry!"

Once she's apparated away, I resurrect my wards and smile at Harry. "So, movie night?"

He smiles and nods and we walk back downstairs. He goes to my telly and pulls out my movie selection as I go into my kitchen and grab my array of take-out menus. "How's Chinese sound?" I ask.

"Sounds like the best idea I've heard all week!" he replies. I laugh and call in our usual order before going back out to the living room to see the selections Harry's pulled out for tonight. I laugh as I see him holding one and giving me those stupid puppy dog eyes whenever he wants something. " _Lord of the Rings,_ Harry? Again?"

"What do you mean ' _again?_ ' It's been weeks since we watched it!"

"Yeah, because the last time we watched it, you forced me to do a marathon with you and we didn't leave this room for almost an entire day! I can't do that again, I'll go mad!"

"We don't have to watch all of them, just one!" he argues.

I sigh. "Fine, _one_ but then we're watching something of my choice; deal?"

He grins. "Deal."

* * *

Three hours, half a bottle of wine, and a bunch of Chinese food later, _Lord of the Rings_ has ended and we're now watching a movie of my choice: _The Thin Man_. My parents loved watching classic film noir and got me into it as well. _The Thin Man_ series became one of my favorites of all time and I know the first three movies word for word. Harry laughs as I quote the characters with different voices and jokes with me at the goofs we spot in the film.

"I want a dog," Harry says, watching Nick and Nora's dog Asta cause mayhem in the film.

"You should get a dog," I reply.

He shrugs. "I would but I don't have the time to dedicate to training a dog right now. Owls are easier because there isn't much you have to train them for but dogs are a whole other story."

I chuckle and shake my head. "I wouldn't mind a dog," I say, offhandedly. I look back to the television and smile at the cute moment happening between Nick and Nora on screen. "I also wouldn't mind a relationship like that," I gesture to the telly. "I think the dog is a bit more realistic right now, though."

"Don't think like that, Hermione," he says. "You'll have a relationship like that someday."

I scoff. "Not for a while, though."

He furrows his brows. "Why?"

I pause the telly and sigh. "Harry, even though for those closest to me, it doesn't seem like too much has changed, my entire world has flipped upside down! Now that I'm a pureblood, there are these stupid rules that I'm supposed to follow and after the news of who I really am breaks, the press is going to have a field day and all these pureblood families are going to come after me to ask me for a betrothal contract or whatever! Gods, and that doesn't even begin to cover the rest of this outdated culture that I'm now a part of! At least with Hogwarts, I had McGonagall to explain everything to me; with this, I'm completely clueless!"

"You have your grandparents and brother to explain everything to you, though."

I shake my head. "I asked Tina and she just said to say screw the rules and to live my life the way I want to."

"I think that's some good advice," he says.

I look at him incredulously. "Harry, really-" I begin.

"Hermione, I'm serious," he says, taking my hands in his. "You've spent your entire life playing by the rules; just for once, let go. Who cares what this new culture says you have to do; all the pureblood culture has ever done to you is tell you that you're not good enough because you were born to muggle parents; or in this case, _adopted_ but beside the point. That scar on your arm tells me more than enough about the stupid pureblood culture that the Malfoys and Notts and Zabinis and the rest of them rely on; it's useless and doesn't mean a thing.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are twice the person any of those idiots could be, whether you're a muggleborn, a pureblood, or in between. You're bloody brilliant and charming and beautiful and if they can't accept you for who you are, then they don't deserve you."

I blush at Harry's praise and look down to my lap. He puts two fingers under my chin and lifts it so I have to look at him. "You're a great person, Hermione. Don't let a culture that's torn you down for years try to suck you in with their rules and regulations just because you're a part of their world now. You tell them to go fuck themselves and then you continue to live your life as you have been. And, besides, last I checked, the Hermione I know doesn't like be given orders."

I smile at that and chuckle. "No, she doesn't." I squeeze his hand. "Thank you, Harry. I needed that."

He grins and wraps me into a hug. "What are best friends for, right?"

I smile more and bury my face into his shoulder, inhaling the smell of his cologne and wine. When we pull out of the hug, I'm still blushing but this time out of embarrassment. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me just now."

He shakes his head and brushes a curl behind my ear. "You've been under a lot of stress lately; you're allowed to freak out every now and then. I know if it was me, I'd be having a heart attack every ten minutes!"

I laugh at that and, once again, I find that I'm grateful that he was the first person I told about all this. He's become my brain whenever I don't have one and I can honestly say, I'd be lost without him; especially recently.

"So, Rolf and Luna, huh?" he asks as I start the movie again.

I chuckle. "Not yet; tonight was only their first date. If it goes well, then maybe but I don't want to assume anything just yet."

"What do you think of it?" he asks.

"Honestly? I think they're perfect for each other!"

He smiles and nods. "I was thinking the same thing. As soon as I met Rolf, the first person who came to mind who he needed to meet was Luna. I'm glad they seemed to have hit it off."

I smile and nod in return. "I agree. I think they'll be good for each other; assuming tonight goes well, of course."

"Of course," he smirks.

We sit and continue to watch the movie, finishing the bottle of wine in the process, before Harry speaks again.

"Did you have any plans for tomorrow?"

I think for a moment and shake my head. "No, I was just going to wrap your birthday present and run some errands. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I know that we're going to do my birthday dinner on Sunday with the Weasleys and with your family of course but I was thinking that tomorrow could just be you and me. The calm before the storm, if you will."

I laugh. "That is a terrible analogy but I accept your offer!" He grins and I take a swig of my wine, ignoring the butterflies that have suddenly made an appearance in my stomach and blaming them on the alcohol instead.

* * *

 ** _P.S. Luna's dress is on the BOL Pinterest board._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	8. Harry's Birthday

_**A/N: For those of you who celebrate it, Happy Easter! For everyone else, Happy Spring! I hope your weather is far better than mine (So. Much. Wind!) and I hope you all have wonderful spring breaks for those of you who are on them right now!**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Harry's Birthday**

Harry comes over the next morning, bouncing with excitement. "What's got you in a good mood?" I ask.

"Nothing in particular," he smirks.

I roll my eyes. "Uh huh, sure. So birthday boy, what are we doing today?"

"You'll see," he smirks.

I barely have time to register that the smirk on his face means trouble when he grabs my hand and floos us out of my house and to- "QUIDDITCH?!" I say, as we arrive at the stadium. "Really Harry?"

He shrugs. "Hey, it's my birthday. I can do what I want!"

"Your birthday isn't until tomorrow, though!" I argue.

"Same difference," he jokes and I roll my eyes, accepting my defeat. "Is Ginny playing at least?"

"Ginny _and_ Ron!" he says, far more excited than he should be.

"Oh shit," I say. Ron's team, the Chudley Cannons, has been doing fairly well this season but the Holyhead Harpies are number one in the country right now. This might not end well.

Harry leads us to the box he reserved where we find Neville and Joanna already there. I smile and pull Neville into a bear hug when I see him. "When did you get back from California?" Neville took a year off to live in the states and learn about American wizard culture.

"About a week ago; I've been hiding out at my flat, adjusting to the time change."

I laugh at that and nod. "Jet lag is the worst. Either way, I'm glad to see you!"

I give Joanna a quick hug then we all sit and begin to watch the game. We cheer as Ron and Ginny walk onto the field and a few minutes later, the game has started and Harry and Joanna are immersed in what's happening on the field, allowing me to chat with Neville uninterrupted.

"So what are you going to do now that you're back in England?" I ask.

"Well, I've actually been offered a job at Hogwarts to be the new Herbology professor," he smiles.

"Really? That's great, Neville! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Hermione." His smile falters a little bit and he squeezes my hand. "I heard about your parents; I'm sorry."

I shake my head and give him a small smile. "It's okay; the important thing is that they're safe."

He nods in agreement. "I also heard you've been holding out on me, Miss _Scamander_."

I laugh at that. "Hey, in my defense, you've been gone for a year!"

"But you couldn't at least send me a letter? Merlin, woman! I've been trying to get the most recent update of Newt Scamander's book for weeks and I come back home to find out my friend is his bloody granddaughter! Where's that Gryffindor loyalty?!"

I'm crying tears of laughter by the end of Neville's rant and I have to lean on him for support. "I'm sorry, Neville," I say when I manage to calm down. "If it's any consolation, he'll be at yours and Harry's party tomorrow at the Weasleys. You can meet him then. I'm sure he'll find a way to get you a copy of his updated book too."

His face lights up at that. "You think so?"

I nod and smile. "Although, I must warn you that Tina is more into Herbology than Newt is. If you were teaching Care of Magical Creatures, I'd say Newt would be your go-to but since it's Herbology, Tina might have some more insight into the workings of plants than Newt."

He laughs. "Duly noted."

We continue to chat about his trip to California and I update him on my new family and the bookstore as the game continues. When Harry leaves to get food, Joanna moves to sit next to me and I wink at her before I turn my attention back to Neville. "So, Neville, what brings you here today?"

He looks at me confused. "What do you mean? I'm here for the Quidditch game."

"I know that," I smirk; "I mean here, at _this_ game?"

He shrugs. "I wanted to see my friends play."

"You sure it has nothing to do with seeing a particular redhead play?" I say, playfully.

By the surprised look on his face, I know I've got him. "W-what do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, Neville. We know you're here for Ginny; unless you're here for Ron which, if you are, Joanna, I've got some bad news for you," I say, looking to her.

She laughs and shakes her head. "Well, if Ron does leave me for Neville, at least I can be satisfied that they'll treat each other well."

We break out into a fit of giggles at that while Neville just rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Don't worry, Joanna, I like Ron but he's not really my type."

"But his sister is," she jokes and I laugh. Neville blushes at her comment and I take his hand and squeeze it reassuringly.

"Don't be embarrassed, Neville, we're just teasing you. If you and Ginny are together, I think it's great!"

He shrugs. "That's just the thing; we're not together. Well, not yet, anyway. I think we're heading in that direction, though."

"What do you mean?" Joanna asks.

"Before I left, we spent a couple of evenings together." I glance at Joanna and I can see the recognition in her eyes at what he's alluding to. "We decided to put whatever we had at the time on hold since I was leaving for a year. About a month ago, while she had a break in training, she came to visit me in California. While there, we spent a lot of time talking and agreed that when I got back, we'd try dating for a while and see if it goes anywhere."

"Have you told Harry?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "I haven't quite found the right time to tell him."

"There isn't really a proper time to tell someone something like that, Neville. Sometimes, you just have to do it," I say.

He nods. "I know."

"Just be sure to tell him soon, okay? I know Harry will take it a lot better if he hears it from you rather than from someone else."

He smiles. "Thanks, Hermione. How'd you two find out anyway?"

"She told us," Joanna and I say at the same time.

Neville rolls his eyes. "Of course she did."

Harry comes back with his hands full of popcorn, hot dogs, and four butterbeers floating behind him. I laugh and help him set everything down. "I _knew_ I should have gone with you."

"In my defense, it seemed like a good idea at the time," he argues.

"That's your argument for _everything_ , Harry," I reply, still laughing. Once everything has been split up between us, we sit back down and enjoy the rest of the game. In the last quarter of the game, Neville pulls Harry aside to, I assume, tell him about him and Ginny. By the grin that appears on Harry's face, he takes the news well and is happy for them. Joanna and I smile at one another as Neville's shoulders drop in relief and Harry pats him on the back.

"If only everyone handled news like that so well," Joanna says.

I laugh. "I know; imagine how Dean Thomas is going to feel when he finds out!"

Joanna laughs at that idea. Joanna was a fourth year Ravenclaw during what would have been my seventh year in Hogwarts so even if she doesn't know everyone in our year personally, she knows them by name and might be able to pick them out of a crowd.

The boys rejoin us just in time to see the Holyhead Harpies Seeker catch the snitch, ending the game with a 380-220 win in the Harpies favor (no surprise there). After the celebratory cheer for Ginny's team, Harry and I say goodbye to Joanna and Neville before we apparate out of the stadium and to muggle London, stopping at a small cafe for lunch.

"So, Neville and Ginny," I start.

He smiles. "I know what you're thinking," he says, "and you don't need to worry; I'm fine. If anything, I'm happy for them. They always seemed like they'd be good for each other."

I return his smile and squeeze his hand but don't respond, knowing that nothing else really needs to be said in regards to that topic. Where Ron and I had a huge blowout that led our breakup, Harry and Ginny had a much more amicable split, agreeing that they were better off as friends. It took a while for Ron and I to start talking again after our breakup but eventually, we apologized to one another and agreed that our friendship meant more to each other than to drop everything over one bad fight.

"So, have you heard from Rolf or Luna?" Harry asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

I shake my head. "Not yet; I'm taking the mindset that no news is good news."

He laughs. "That's usually how I look at it."

I smirk. "So, what's next on our to do list, birthday boy?"

"Well, I figured since I tortured you with Quidditch this morning, you could choose the afternoon activity and then I was thinking another movie night tonight?"

I smile. "That sounds great. Now, let me think of what we can do this afternoon…" I bite my lip in concentration as I think about something to do in the afternoon. After about five minutes, I grin as an idea pops into my head and look at Harry. "When was the last time you went bowling?"

* * *

We arrive back at my place after three games of bowling (I won two games while Harry won the last one). "Any dinner requests?" I ask as we walk into my living room from my fireplace.

"Hmm… surprise me!" he says.

I laugh. "You might wish you hadn't said that," thinking of the last time I had surprised him with food, I made him eat some American concoction called a Frito Pie. Needless to say, it was a disaster. Funny, but not necessarily pretty.

His eyes widen as he remembers that. "Good point. How about pizza?"

I nod at that suggestion. "Sounds good. Will you call it in?" He nods and I smile. "I want to give you your present now. Is that okay?"

"You know you didn't have to get me anything, Hermione," he argues but I shake my head.

"I know, but I wanted to. Stay here," I say as I run upstairs to grab his present. As I come downstairs, I peek into my kitchen and smile at what I see before going back into my living room and handing Harry his present. "Happy birthday, Harry."

I sit next to him on the couch as he unwraps the box and opens it. I can't help but grin at his awed expression as he pulls out the red and gold jersey. "Is this… is this my old Quidditch jersey?" he asks.

"Actually, it's your father's," I say. He drops his arms and stares at me in shock. "I called in a favor with McGonagall; initially I asked for your jersey but she said she gave it to you for your twenty-first birthday," he nods in agreement with that, "so she sent me the next best thing. I hope that's okay?"

He smiles and tears are forming in his eyes. "Hermione, this is the best birthday present anyone has ever given me. Thank you so much for this; really. This means more than I could ever say."

I smile and kiss his cheek. "I have one more thing for you; come with me." I take his hand and lead him to my kitchen where his other present is sitting. Next to my owl Athena, is the beautiful Snowy Owl I saw at Luna's Sanctuary. Harry had tried to search for a new owl after Hedwig died but none of them ever seemed to be the right fit for him; he's been using Pigwidgeon or one of the Ministry owls if he ever needed to send a letter but I think it's time he had a new owl; and yes, I picked a Snowy Owl because they're Harry's favorite.

When I see the smile on his face, I know I made the right decision. "Is he for me?"

I nod. "I found him at Luna's Sanctuary and thought he looked like he needed a spectacled friend who would feed him far too many treats."

Harry laughs and walks towards the owl. Within the first few seconds of them meeting, I can tell they're perfect for each other. The owl nips Harry affectionately and begins to nuzzle against his hand as he scratches him. "What are you going to name him?" I ask, joining them at the perch and scratching Athena's head.

Harry shrugs. "I'm not sure." He looks to me and smiles. "Wanna help me choose one for him?"

I smile and nod before looking at the owl. "How about… Hamlet?"

The owl makes an unsatisfied noise and Harry laughs. "I guess not. What about Snowball?" This time both Athena and the owl make noises that suggest they're not too happy with that one.

I look to Athena and the name Achilles comes to mind but before I can voice it, I'm inspired by another name. "Atticus," I say.

The Snowy Owl perks up at that and when I say it again, he hoots quietly in satisfaction.

"I like Atticus," Harry replies. "Good one," he smiles.

I scratch the top of Atticus' head and smile. "It just seemed to fit him."

Harry takes my free hand in his and squeezes. "Hermione, you've just made this one of the best birthdays I've ever had. Thank you so much for both of the gifts. I love them."

"It was my pleasure, Harry. Happy birthday," I say, pulling him into a tight hug which he returns wholeheartedly.

We pull out of the hug but we don't let each other go just yet; we just stand and enjoy each other's company. I look up into his green eyes and see something I haven't seen there before but I don't have a chance to ponder what it is as next thing I know, Harry's kissing me.

And I'm kissing him back.

It's very rare that I let anything other than logic rule my brain but this is one of those times where I just let go. Everything else fades away as Harry's lips fit with mine perfectly and I run my fingers through his hair while trying to pull him as close to me as humanly possible. I don't realize that we've moved until he's got me pinned against the kitchen wall.

He opens his mouth slightly and I take the opportunity to meet his tongue with mine. He moans into my mouth and I pull him even closer to me, despite the fact that our bodies are already as close as they can get.

His kiss is magnetic. I can't get enough of him and by the way his hands are running up and down my body, he can't get enough either. It's only as we kiss that I realize that Tina was right; there _is_ something between us. I think there has been for a while but I've been in denial about it for fear that he doesn't feel the same about me. Obviously, I was wrong. I was very, very wrong.

And thank Merlin for that!

We break for air when we hear a knock at the door. "That must be the pizza," I say, opening my eyes to meet Harry's green ones. I chuckle as I get a clear view of his appearance: his glasses are askew, his lips are swollen, his hair is messier than usual and the first couple buttons of his shirt have been unbuttoned. I hadn't even realize I had done that while we were kissing.

By the smirk on his lips, I imagine my appearance isn't far off from his. He brushes some curls behind my ear and kisses my lips softly, a drastic difference to what we were just doing. I give him a small smile before I adjust my appearance and go to the front door to pay for the pizza. I bring it back into the kitchen and place it on the counter before looking at Harry, who's also readjusted his appearance.

I lean against the counter with my arms wrapped around myself tightly and I look away from him, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. "We should probably talk about what just happened," I say.

He walks over to me and stands in front of me, touching my chin to move my face so I have to look at him. "Are you okay?" he asks.

I can't help but smile at that. _Always thinking of everyone else first before himself._ I shrug. "I'm not sure what I feel right now."

He nods in agreement. "Do you regret it?" he asks, a little quieter this time.

"No!" I say, squeezing his arms reassuringly. "That's not what I meant, Harry, I swear. It was just a little unexpected is all and it's just a lot to take in right now."

He smiles and caresses my cheek with his hand while his free hand wraps around my waist. "I don't regret it either, you know. But I do agree, it is a lot to take in."

I rest my hands on his arms and sigh. "So, what now?"

"What would you _like_ to do?" he replies. "If you want to forget this ever happened, I can do that. I admit, I won't be too happy about it but I can do that." He chuckles at my shocked expression. "Or, we can try to be a- a couple, if that's what you want?"

"I don't want to forget it, Harry," I say confidently. "I- I liked it. I just- I'm scared, I guess. I don't want whatever this is to end how it did with Ron."

His eyes soften in understanding. "Do you trust me?"

I nod. "With my life."

He steps closer to me. "But with your heart?"

My pulse begins to beat faster in response to that. "Y-yes," I say, glancing down to his lips before looking back to his eyes.

"I won't hurt you, Hermione," he says quietly.

My breathing is shaky but when I speak, my voice is confident. "I won't hurt you either," I say.

And then all thoughts are gone as our lips meet again.

* * *

 ** _Please review!_**


	9. Pillowtalk and Parties

_**A/N: SMUT ALERT! You've been warned...**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Pillowtalk and Parties**

We talk more over dinner about our relationship and decide that we'll do what Ginny and Neville are doing; date for a while and see where it goes. As the night continues, the initial tension is gone and we're back to our normal selves… well, sort of.

There's a lot more touching than there was before; or maybe it was always there and I just never noticed. It's only minor touches like brushing hair out of each other's faces or him running his fingers up and down my arm, mindlessly or how he puts my cold feet under his legs to warm them up. They're gentle and innocent, not like the thoughts that are currently running through my mind.

Ever since our kiss, I've wanted nothing more than to drag him upstairs, throw him on my bed and keep him here all night. But we just established our relationship and I don't want to risk it all right away; so I push those thoughts away and just focus on his eyes, his smile, the way his lips feel against mine… _Shit_. This is gonna be harder than I thought.

He pulls me out of my thoughts by placing a gentle kiss to the base of my throat. My heart begins to beat faster and there are butterflies in my stomach. Oh yeah, I'm a goner. And honestly, I don't mind at all.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks, his breath hitting my neck and sending a chill down my spine.

It takes everything I have not to moan as his hands move up my back, underneath my shirt. "Nothing that should be said out loud," I say, jokingly.

His lips move up my neck and he nibbles on my earlobe, causing me to moan quietly, before he hovers his lips right above mine. "Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind hearing them," he says.

I blush and look down, embarrassed. I'm not inexperienced in the area of sex but I'm certainly not confident in it either. Keep in mind, the only other person who's ever seen me naked is Ron and, while he meant well, he wasn't exactly the best person to help my confidence while I was completely exposed.

"Hermione," Harry says, lifting my chin so our eyes can meet, "we don't have to do anything you don't want to. I won't push you; if anything, I'll wait as long as it takes until you're ready."

I shake my head. "It's not that, it's just- I- I'm not sure I'll be any good."

He smiles. "Hermione, you're good at _everything_ ; somehow I find the idea of you not being good at _that_ near to impossible." He brushes a curl behind my ear and caresses my cheek. "As far as I'm concerned, you're perfect no matter what. How experienced or inexperienced you are doesn't change the fact that I want _you;_ all of you, even the parts you don't like."

I smile in return and brush my fingers along his cheeks. "Are you sure?"

He nods. "Only if you are; like I said, I'll wait until you're ready. I care about you a lot, Hermione, and I want do this right. That means that we don't do anything unless both of us are completely sure about it. It's the only way we'll be able to make this relationship work."

I think about it for a moment before nodding. "I'm sure, Harry. I want to make this work too and I trust you."

"I trust you too," he says. I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and pull him close to me as our lips meet. He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him as I wrap my arms around his neck while the kiss becomes more heated and passionate.

I'm not sure how or even when but next thing I know, we're in my room and I'm pinned against the bedroom door, my legs wrapped around Harry's waist and he's holding onto me tightly. I move slightly and, with Harry's help, I drop my legs from Harry's waist only to walk him to my bed, while never breaking the kiss. When the back of my legs hit the bed, we stop walking and that's when the clothes go flying.

First thing to go are Harry's glasses, then his shirt followed by my own, then every other layer is removed until we're left standing in our underwear but even that doesn't last long. Harry lays me down on the bed and kisses me on the lips softly before working his way down my neck to my shoulders to my chest. I arch my back so he can remove my bra easily, which he does in one motion and tosses it to I don't know where.

He pulls back to look at me and smiles. "Gods, you're beautiful," he says, running his hands up my naked torso. As I watch his eyes as they scan me, I begin to feel uncomfortable and I squirm to try to cover myself but he grabs my hands and pins them to the bed so I can't move. "Don't, Hermione," he says, his lips just above mine. "Don't be embarrassed; you're beautiful." He kisses me softly. "I mean it; you _are_ beautiful, Hermione, inside and out." The sincerity in his eyes makes my stomach flip and I realize that I believe him.

Before I can respond, his lips crash against mine and, once again, I let go. He leaves a trail of kisses along my neck and shoulders before he reaches my breasts. He releases my hands only to move his hands to my breasts and begins to massage one as he sucks on the nipple of the other. I moan and drop my head back onto the mattress while my back arches into him. He works on that breast for a little while before switching the other, all the while, I'm moaning and grinding my hips into him. By the low growls coming from him, it's having the desired effect.

When I can't take it anymore, I sit up, moving his lips to mine in the process, and reach for his boxers and begin to slide them off. Thankfully, Harry seems about as eager as I am as he slides my knickers off quickly then climbs over me on the bed, only breaking the kiss when he's right on top of me.

We look at each other, our breathing heavy and my stomach flipping every which way. We stay like that for a moment, just looking at each other; no touching, no kissing, just looking. I feel a blush creep onto my cheeks from the look of admiration coming from him but I will it to go down, telling myself not to be embarrassed by the attention. If Harry thinks I'm beautiful, I can think it too.

He must see my internal struggle because he smirks and chuckles before lowering his lips to mine. The kiss starts off slow but quickly becomes more passionate as I run my hands through his hair. I feel his erection pressing against me and I begin to get impatient and move one hand down to stroke him. He moans into my mouth and massages one of my breasts with one hand.

He leaves my mouth only to kiss a trail down to my neck and shoulders. The hand that was massaging my breast moves down my body to my clit where he begins to rub. I drop my head back and moan at the feeling. "Harry, _please,_ " I beg. I can't take this anymore. I need him. _Now_.

Fortunately, he understands me and removes my hand from his cock only to enter me with one thrust. My back arches and I moan at the pressure. He starts off slow, just to drive me crazy but quickly picks up speed as we find the perfect rhythm to move together.

As we rock together, he whispers into my ear about how beautiful I am, how good I feel, and how he's going to fuck me hard until I can't walk anymore. God, I can't wait 'til that one comes true. My nails scratch down his back as our moans become louder and louder until neither of us can take it anymore. I call out his name in my climax and he follows less than three thrusts later.

He drops on top of me, putting his weight on his arms so he doesn't crush me and lowers his forehead to mine, as we try to calm our breathing. I kiss him softly before lightly pushing him off me only to pull him under the covers of my bed. He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close to him and I nuzzle my nose against his. "That was-"

"I know," he finishes for me. He pulls back a little to look at me. "Are- are you okay? I didn't hurt you or-" I cut him off with a kiss.

"No, you didn't hurt me or pressure me or anything like that, Harry. Everything that just happened, I wanted just as badly as you."

He smiles. "I'm glad to hear that… because I have a confession to make."

"Oh?"

He blushes. "I've kind of wanted to try to pursue a relationship with you for a while but I never knew how to broach the subject. We had such a good thing going for our friendship, I was worried that trying to push it to something more would ruin it."

I smile and brush some hair out of his face. "Well, if we're being honest here, I think I've had a thing for you too. I just didn't realize it until you kissed me. Tina mentioned it to me and I brushed it off, not thinking anything of it, but now I realize I was just burying my feelings for you because I was afraid of getting hurt again."

"Are you still afraid?" he asks.

I kiss him lightly and run my fingernails lightly on the back of his neck. "Not anymore."

He grins at that. "I've always loved you as a friend, Hermione. Maybe with time, you'll let me learn to love you as more than that?"

I nod, confidently. "I'd like that," finishing my answer with a kiss. When we break, he's trying not to laugh. "What?" I ask.

"So, who gets to tell Ron?"

My eyes widen and I groan at that prospect, causing Harry to laugh. I bite my lip and sigh. "Can- can I suggest something about telling Ron or anyone else right now?"

I can tell by the way he looks at me, he knows what's going on in my head. It's scary how well we can read each other at times. "Do you want to keep it quiet about us for now?"

"Just for a little while," I say, quickly. "I don't want you to think you're my dirty little secret because you're not and I care about you a lot but with everything going on with my new identity and the field day everyone's about to have when it's announced who I really am, I just want to keep some form of normalcy in my life and right now, that normalcy is you. And besides, can you imagine how the press is going to react when two of Wizarding Britain's war heroes are dating? They'll lose their minds!" He chuckles at that and I relax a bit. "So, please, just for the time being, can we keep our relationship between us? I just want to keep you to myself for a while; no press, no friends, no family wanting to know every little detail about our relationship. I just want you and only you."

He smiles understandingly and nods. "Okay, I can agree to that. Just us."

"Thank you, Harry," I say, relieved that he's being so understanding.

"Anything for you," he says before kissing me again. Before the kiss can get more heated, we're interrupted by the sound of a watch beeping. Harry groans and looks at his watch and presses a button on the side of it to turn it off while I turn and look at the clock on my bedside table to see that it's midnight. I smile and turn back to Harry. "Happy birthday, Harry," I say, with a passionate kiss.

* * *

After helping Harry move Atticus to his flat and taking a very romantic shower together, we arrive at the Weasleys just as the birthday celebration has started. Neville is already here, talking with Ron and Joanna but glancing at Ginny across the room, and Tina and Newt are here talking with Molly and Arthur, respectively. The second the Weasley twins spot us, they run over and pick up Harry and carry him outside claiming to have his present out there.

I laugh and wave Harry goodbye and scan the room for my brother and smile when I find him on the couch. I walk over and sit next to him on the couch. "Hey big brother," I smile.

He smiles when he sees me. "Hey you," he says, pulling me into a hug. "How are you?"

I smile thinking of the night Harry and I just shared. "I'm good. How are you? How did your date with Luna go?"

He grins at that. "Gods, Hermione, she's amazing! She has this great knowledge about all sorts of creatures and despite everything that she saw during the war, she's still so hopeful about the world around her and still believes that there's good in every person and she has such a great sense of humor and gods, Hermione, she's just amazing."

I laugh and squeeze his hand. "Rolf, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in love."

He chuckles. "Not yet. But if I see her more often, I can definitely see it heading there."

I smile. "Well, I'm glad you two hit it off so well. I think you'll be good for each other. Where is Luna, anyway?"

"She's coming later. She wanted to see if she could coax her father into coming to the party."

"Oh, I hope he'll come. It'd be good for Xenophilius to get a change of scenery."

He smiles and nods in agreement while brushing a curl behind my ear. "What about you? Anyone special in your life right now?"

A chill runs down my back as I think of Harry's hands running up and down my body and I blush, something that Rolf doesn't miss. "So there _is_ someone," he says.

I hesitate before answering. "Yes, there is someone."

He raises an eyebrow. "Well, who is he?"

I want to tell Rolf the truth but I can't break my own promise to Harry. So I compromise. "I can't tell you yet, only because we want to wait until the hype with my new identity dies down after it's announced in the _Prophet_ tomorrow and just enjoy our time together with only each other right now. And it just started; I don't want to make a big deal out of us being together when, for all we know, we could break up tomorrow."

"Do you think you'll break up tomorrow?" he asks.

I shake my head. "No; if I have any say in it, we won't be breaking up for a long time, if ever. But I never rely on hope or chance either."

"Maybe this time, you should. If it's who I think it is, something tells me that breaking up is not in your future."

"What do you mean 'if it's who you think it is?'" I ask.

He smirks and shakes his head. "We'll just see if I'm right when you finally decide to tell everyone."

The gleam in his eyes tell me everything; he knows. I'm about to comment but he busts out laughing at something behind me before I can say anything. I turn around and start laughing as well when I spot Harry walking towards us covered in some sort of purple powder, looking very frustrated. He stands in front of us and huffs as he waits for Rolf and I to calm down.

"What the hell happened to you?" Rolf says, once he can form a full sentence.

"The Weasley twins," Harry replies and I laugh harder at that. I don't know what the twins did that caused Harry to turn purple but it's the best thing I've seen all day!

"How come they only went after you and not Neville?" I ask.

"George said they're going to get Neville later." He sneezes.

"Bless you," Rolf and I say at the same time.

"Thanks," he sniffs and tries to wipe his nose with his sleeve but only manages to smear the purple powder more. I laugh.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," I say, taking his hand and leading him away.

"Have fun you two," Rolf says as we walk away.

We look back at him, Harry in confusion and me surprised. I stick my tongue out at him and he laughs before I drag Harry towards the stairs. "Hey Ginny!" I say, as we walk past her talking to Neville. "Do you mind if I use your laundry potion to get Harry's clothes clean again?"

She looks at me confused until she sees Harry behind me and starts to laugh. "Did you get hit with one the twins' color bombs?"

He rolls his eyes. "No, I just thought I'd try out a new look."

Neville stifles a laugh. "It works for you."

"Don't start, Longbottom," Harry threatens and we laugh. Ginny looks back at me and nods in response to my question. "Go ahead. It's in the bathroom cupboard. Oh, and you might want to wash your hand once you're done cleaning Harry off."

I look down to my hand and yelp as I see that it's also covered in purple powder. Ginny and Neville laugh as I use my purple hand to drag an even more purple Harry upstairs to the bathroom so I can clean him off.

I use my wand to clean off most of the excess powder then wet a rag to start wiping off the rest of the purple off of him. While I'm cleaning his face off, he speaks. "Did you tell Rolf about us?"

I shake my head. "Not directly. He asked if I was seeing anyone and I told him yes but I didn't say who and that I would tell him after the hype of my 'true identity' dies down. I think he knew it was you when he asked."

"What makes you say that?" he asks, as I move to cleaning his hands.

"Well, if Tina had her suspicions about us, then my guess is she mentioned it to Newt and Rolf. Rolf just so happened to see the opportunity to ask me about it and took it."

"Oh, okay." His hands are clean now and I drop the very purple rag in the hamper by the sink and use some of the laundry potion to clean Harry's clothes before I clean my own hand off then look at Harry in the eye.

"Is that okay?" I ask.

"Is what okay?"

"That Rolf might know."

He nods. "That's fine."

I take his hands in mine and step closer to him. "Harry, we talked about this last night. I just want to keep you to myself for a while, that's all. I don't want to hide you and I don't want to hide us; I just want to relish in the privacy that we have for now because when the news gets a hold of this, any privacy that you and I have will be gone. They're vultures and I don't want to become their prey just yet. And, I'm not quite ready for Molly's reaction when we tell her about us. You remember how she was during Fourth Year with the rumors Rita Skeeter spread about us. And we weren't even dating then."

He chuckles and nods in agreement. "I suppose that's fair."

I smile. "Am I forgiven?"

He returns the smile and wraps his arms around my waist to pull me closer to him. "There's nothing to forgive," he says before capturing my lips in a kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck and open my mouth to give his tongue access. He moans quietly in my mouth and I want so badly to push this further but there's still a party going on downstairs and we're in the only bathroom.

I break the kiss and pull away from him only to see him pout. I chuckle and kiss him lightly. "As much as I want this to continue, there's still a party going on downstairs in _your honor_."

"It's Neville's birthday too," he argues.

"Yes, but the party is for the both of you and it would be rude for one of the guests of honor to vanish before his own party has really started." I squeeze his hand and kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Come on, let's see what the twins do to Neville."

He laughs and we walk back downstairs to find Xenophilius (who looks a lot better compared to the last time that I saw him) has arrived and is standing with Newt and Tina , along with Andromeda and Teddy and Luna, who's glued to Rolf's side. The second Teddy spots Harry, he makes a beeline for him and jumps into Harry's waiting arms.

The rest of the party is a blast. The twins gave Neville a chewing gum that turned his head into a flower, something Ginny and I found all too amusing, and Molly made the boys a beautiful birthday cake. Of course, Ginny smashed some of it into both Neville and Harry's faces while I had to hold Teddy down to keep him from face planting into the cake himself. Rolf and Luna never left each other's sides, something my grandparents and Xenophilius seem to be just as happy about as I am.

Currently, half of the party patrons are out in the yard playing Quidditch while a few others are sitting inside and talking, leaving me to sit on the swing on the porch, watching Harry fly in circles while Ron trash talks him. I feel someone sit next to me and I smile when I look to see that it's Newt. "Hey you," he smiles.

"Hey back," I say. "You enjoying the party?"

He nods. "It's a lot of activity but I've yet to be bored."

I laugh. "Boredom is rarely something you'll ever feel with the Weasleys."

"Well that's certainly not a bad thing."

"No, it's not," I chuckle. "Where's Tina?"

"Inside, chatting with Xeno about kneazles. I think she's trying to get him to adopt one."

"Oh, great! Then we start our own kneazle owner club!"

Newt laughs and nods in agreement. "Perhaps that's where she's heading with that idea."

We're distracted by a loud whoop coming from Rolf as we see him flip in the air because his and Harry's team has just scored. I smile at the sight, grateful that my brother and boyfriend get along so well.

"So, tomorrow's the big day," Newt says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I nod, suddenly very anxious. "Yeah, it is." We're silent for a moment before I speak again. "Do we _have_ to make a big announcement in the paper? Hell, do we have to make an announcement at all?"

Newt brushes a curl behind my ear and nods. "Sadly, yes. I don't want to do it but it is necessary mainly for posterity's sake. There was an announcement in the papers a long time ago after you disappeared to try and find you but it was only in America and never made it past the Atlantic Ocean. With making the announcement tomorrow, the case in trying to find you can finally be closed in America and now, no one here will question you, especially since you're so well known among these parts."

I nod in understanding. "Everything's going to change after tomorrow, isn't it?"

"If we're not talking about everything else that's changed for you, then yes. Your status will multiply and, although you're not Sacred Twenty Eight, you'll still be part of one of the most respected families in Wizarding Britain which might attract some more attention for you. Tina and I have already taken the necessary precautions, however, so no one from any rich pureblood families can come to us asking for a marriage contract of any kind; anyone who tries will face a very unpleasant legal battle."

"Is that legal?" I ask.

He nods. "The papers that Tina and I signed said that if and when you ever decide to marry, no matter who it is, they can only come to us and ask for your hand is if we've previously met them and have your approval of them. No marriage contracts are allowed; if they want to marry you, it has to be because they love you and want to be with you; not just because you're a high status society member now. If we approve, all we have to do is lift the ward on the contract and that person can properly ask for your hand."

"That's… really smart," I say. "How come this is the first time I've heard of it?"

"It's old magic that's usually only used in America; different customs and all. But it's still every bit as effective on this side of the Atlantic as it is over there. So you're covered."

"Thank you, Newt. It means a lot that I won't have to go through this alone."

He squeezes my hand. "Honey, as long as we're around, you'll never have to do anything alone again

I don't know what it is about what he says that makes my stomach twist, but next thing I know I'm fighting tears and trying so hard to keep my body from shaking. Newt sees my struggle and scoots closer to me. "Hey, what's wrong?"

I burst into tears. "I- gods, I feel ridiculous for saying this but… I just really need my mum right now. There's been so much happening lately that's making me so confused and stressed and it sucks because I can't call her and I can't even call Lucinda and I just feel so lost. There's this whole side of my life that I'm only just now learning about and I can't share any of it with any of my parents because they're gone and I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can keep going through everyday, acting like I don't feel like I'm so torn with myself."

I bury my face into my hands and just let the tears go. I've been holding this in for so long, I don't even care that I'm sobbing in public anymore. I feel Newt's arms wrap around me and pull me close to him and he just holds me as I cry, saying nothing. He just runs his hands up and down my back, letting me just let go all of these emotions that I've been holding in for so long. After, I don't know how long, I finally calm down enough that I'm not nearly hyperventilating.

Newt releases his hold of me a little bit to hand me a handkerchief. I take it gratefully and wipe my eyes and nose with it, while finding comfort in my grandfather's arms. "I know you're stressed," Newt begins, "and I know that you've been through a lot these past couple months. But I want you to know that your parents- both sets- would be so proud of you. And Tina, Rolf, and I are also so incredibly proud of you. There's a lot that's happened recently and a lot more that will still happen but I have no doubt that you'll find a way to push through it. And, I promise, we'll be by your side the whole time."

I sniffle. "Thank you, Newt. I'm sorry I-"

"Don't apologize. Everything that you're feeling in completely understandable. You're allowed to cry and be upset, Hermione."

"I know; I've just always had to be the strong one for everyone else, it doesn't feel right to break down."

"Well, you have us now. Let us be the strong ones for you."

I smile and lean back onto his shoulder and he wraps his arm around me tightly. "Thank you," I whisper.

He kisses the top of my head. "Hey, we're family. We look out for each other; simple as that."

I smile at that and think that there's another thing that gets crossed off the book: I'm not alone anymore.

* * *

 _ **P.S. So, a wonderful reviewer, The Ghostly Minion, pointed out something to me about the last line of Hermione saying that she's not alone anymore and I'd like to clear up any confusion about that.**_

 _ **No, Hermione was never truly alone; she always had her friends to support her and be there for her when she needed them but they can't fill the hole that she has in her heart from the loss of her parents. I imagine that Hermione was very close with her muggle parents and, when she sent them to Australia, she lost a piece of herself as well.**_

 ** _While, physically, she may not be alone, she still feels alone because her muggle parents don't even know she exists and her biological parents are dead; she is, for all intents and purposes, an orphan. Newt reassuring her that he and Tina and Rolf would be there for her helps fill in some of the cracks; it won't make it completely better but it makes a difference for her to know that, even if she can't see them or talk to them properly, both sets of parents are still with her and her grandparents and brother will always be with her as well._**

 ** _In so many words, Hermione was missing something in her heart that is slowly starting to be refilled by her new family. Hope that clears up any confusion. If you're still confused or simply want to discuss this further, feel free to message me either on here or on Tumblr (whichever tickles your fancy more)!_**

 ** _Don't forget to review!_**

 ** _\- Bex_**


	10. The Calm

_**A/N: Hello lovelies! Just a heads up, I officially have four weeks of school left starting today so I may not update as much if at all during that time because things are starting to crack down. I'm not going on hiatus, I'm just putting this on the back burner since there is stuff I have to do that's more pressing at this time. If I have time, however, I'll post a chapter.**_

 _ **Just thought I'd give ya'll a heads up!**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 9: The Calm**

The morning the _Prophet_ broke the news of my "real" identity, the public went into a frenzy. My bookstore swarmed with people trying to get a look at the long lost Scamander daughter while reporters tried to get an interview with me at every turn. For once, I'm grateful that I live in Muggle London because at least my home won't be bothered by these vultures.

Harry's insisted that I have a guard with me at all times after I told him about an incident of a woman trying to trap me in the loo to ask me about being Newt Scamander's granddaughter. We argued about it for almost two days before he finally conceded and dropped the idea. I adore him, but sometimes he forgets who saved his life most of the time through school. I can take care of myself, just fine.

The most surprising part since the announcement has been that purebloods have actually come up to me and _apologized_. Yes, you read that right. I guess word spreads fast in the pureblood circle because no one has come up to me to try and propose but I think they think by apologizing, they might have a chance. Unfortunately for them, I'm happily taken, thank you very much.

Marcus Flint, Blaise Zabini, Adrian Pucey, Theo Nott, and even _Draco Malfoy,_ just to name a few, have come up to me and apologized. When I asked whether they were apologizing because they felt bad for what they did or because I was a pureblood now, all but two gave me a sheepish excuse then walked away. Theo Nott admitted that he was apologizing because he knows that the way he treated me in school was wrong and "no one deserves to be treated that way; no matter what your blood status is." I accepted his apology and admitted to myself later on that night that Nott wasn't so bad.

Malfoy was probably the biggest surprise.

* * *

 _I'm under the desk at the bookstore, searching for a new roll of receipt parchment when I hear the door open. "We're closed," I reply. "Come back in the morning."_

" _This won't take long," a voice I recognize all too well says. I hit the back of my head on the shelf as I rise back to my feet to see none other than Draco Malfoy in my shop. "Oh no, not you too!" I exclaim before I can think about it._

 _He laughs and shakes his head. "I take it the marriage proposals have already started to come in."_

" _Worse," I reply. "The apologies! All the damn apologies for treating me so badly in school and all that bullshit; so, God help me Malfoy, if you've come here to apologize, I will hex you into the next century."_

 _He chuckles and scans some of the books in the shelf by the door before looking at me. "Well, it was my intention to do just that but with that threat over my head, I think I'll just… take this instead." He plucks a book from the shelf and brings it over to me. I raise an eyebrow as I look at the title._

" _ **How to Manage Large Creatures**_ _." I look back up to him, skeptically. "Do I even_ _ **want**_ _to know?"_

" _Probably not," he smirks._

 _I shrug and move to ring up the book but I stop and look back to him. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"_

" _Well, I originally came to apologize-"_

" _You apologized after the war, Malfoy. There's no need to do it again just because I no longer have 'dirty blood.'" His eyes flash with remorse and I almost feel bad for throwing that back in his face. Almost._

" _Yes, I know; and I am sorry about that. Not because of your new status but because I should never have said it in the first place. I was young and stupid and trying to impress the people I thought would protect me and instead it nearly got me killed. I know better now; and I won't make that same mistake again."_

 _I nod. "Well, I'm glad to hear that."_

 _He smirks. "That's not why I'm really here, though."_

" _Oh?" I ask._

" _I actually came to thank you."_

 _I drop the book on the counter and my jaw drops. "Pardon?"_

" _You heard me right, Granger. I'm here to thank you. For standing up for me during my trial after the war. That was- you didn't have to do that."_

" _Yes, I did. You didn't tell your aunt it was us when the Snatchers captured us. You saved our lives. It was the least I could do for you."_

 _He nods but I can see he doesn't believe me. "Well, either way, thank you. I've managed to turn my life around ever since then and I have to give you some of the credit; I don't think I'd have been able to do it if I had gone to Azkaban."_

" _Think nothing of it, Malfoy. 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.' We're even." He smiles and I ring him up for the book. "That'll be three galleons and four knuts. And, I forgive you, on the condition that there will be no marriage proposal coming from you any time soon."_

 _He chuckles and nods. "Deal. You're not really my type anyway."_

" _Forgive me if I'm relieved by that," I say._

 _His smirk returns and he finishes paying for his book. "Listen, Granger, I know we've never been on the best of terms but something tells me we'll be seeing a lot more of each other now that we run in the same circles. If you ever need any help trying to navigate through the pureblood culture that you've been thrown into, I'll be happy to help any way I can."_

 _I smile. "Thanks, Malfoy." And after a moment, "I'm still not marrying you."_

 _He shakes his head. "Forgive me if I'm not heartbroken by that."_

 _Just then, my door opens again and Harry walks in. He seems confused to see Malfoy but nods politely to him anyway. "Malfoy."_

" _Potter." He looks back at me and smirks. "See you around, Granger."_

" _See you around, Malfoy." I say watching as he walks out of the store. There's one more thing crossed off the book: Malfoy and I are being civil to each other._

 _Harry looks back at me confused. "What was that about?"_

 _I smile at him and shake my head. "Nothing; Malfoy was just reminding me that not all changes are bad."_

* * *

I've seen Malfoy a couple times since then and I admit, having someone on my side from that culture is a relief. Don't get me wrong, Newt and Tina have been a great help but they're not really friendly with any of the other pureblood families on this side of the Atlantic (they have loads of friends over in America), so having someone who grew up with the culture and knows all the ins and outs is nice because now at least I'll have a walking encyclopedia to help me (and yes, I do call him that to his face).

In the meantime, however, Harry and I are preparing to break our own news to the Weasleys and our other friends. It's been about three months since the news broke about my identity and now that the hype has died down, we agreed we'd start telling everyone about us. We told my family a couple weeks ago and they knew, of course, but are very happy for us and welcomed Harry with open arms.

As for breaking the news to the Weasleys and everyone else, we decided we'd break it to them bit by bit; some of them, we'd tell on our own, others (like Ron) we'd tell together. First up, Ginny, who I just so happen to be telling by myself since Harry got tasked with telling the twins (Ron's out of town, visiting Joanna's parents for the week so we won't be able to tell him until he gets back) with Neville there to keep the mood light.

"Well, it's about bloody time!" Ginny exclaims after I've told her.

"What?" I ask.

"You didn't really think I didn't expect this, did you? As soon as you and Ron broke up and Harry and I broke up, you went to each other, you _relied_ on each other as you healed. In the process, you grew so close, it was like you became one person. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to play matchmaker in order to make you two see that you liked each other."

I huff. "Well, that didn't go the way I expected. I had a whole speech planned out too."

"Well, I can pretend to be angry if you want," she jokes and I shake my head.

"No, that's okay. You don't mind, though? You're really okay with this?"

She squeezes my hand. "More than okay; I'm happy for you two."

I smile. "Thank you, Ginny. That means more to me than I can say."

She grins and takes a sip of her drink. "So, have you told Ron yet?"

I shake my head. "Not yet; we're waiting until he gets back from his trip with Joanna. Next up are your parents actually, since Bill, Charlie, and Percy are going to be far easier to tell."

She laughs. "Yeah, I'm sure."

I sigh. "I'm not sure who's reaction I'm more nervous for: your mother's or Ron's."

Ginny shrugs. "They both can be a little unreasonable at times, I admit but no matter their reactions, they'll come around. They love the both of you and can't fault you for finding love with each other."

 _Love_. It's strange to think about something like that with Harry. Sure, I've always loved him but that was more of an affectionate kind of love. The love Ginny's talking about is deeper and stronger; something that can make or break someone. _Love._

I think about the way his hands feel as they rest on my waist and his lips on my neck, distracting me as I'm trying to work, the way he touches me when we're making love, the way my stomach flips whenever I see him, the way he holds and comforts me after a long day, the way he listens to me when I'm talking about book orders that I have to make for the store. I think of the way his eyes light up when he's talking about a case, the pride in his eyes when he cooks something for dinner, the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not looking, and I realize something: I _am_ in love with him. I thought it was too soon to tell but now I know for sure. I love him.

"Hello! Earth to Hermione!" Ginny says, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Huh, what?" I say, coming out of my thoughts.

"Where did you go just now?" she asks.

I shake my head, hiding my smile. "Nowhere important," I lie. "What were you saying?"

She chuckles and shakes her head. "Just that you and Harry should come out with Neville and I some night. Maybe you and Harry could show us around Muggle London or something?"

I smile at that idea. "I'd like that. Something tells me you two would really like bowling, although I'm worried you and Harry would get really competitive."

She laughs. "Of course we would! It's who we are. That's okay; you and Neville can chat about books and plants while I crush Harry at bowling just like I do with Quidditch."

I bust out laughing at that, and we continue to chat over lunch, my worries over Molly and Ron's reactions fading away as I realize that they'll be just as happy for us as everyone else is.

* * *

 _ **Please review!  
**_


	11. The Storm

_**A/N: *waves* Remember how I said I have no self control? Yeah, well I really need to learn to fix that 'cause it's after midnight here and I just finished writing this story... at least tomorrow (today?) is Friday! Yay! Anyway, thank you all for your understanding about updates slowing down as I prepare for finals. Since this story is finished, updates might not be as slow as you think because posting chapters takes far less time than writing them so there's some good news for your Friday! Hope you like the chapter!**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter** **10: The Storm**

The wind blows lightly as I sit in front of my parent's graves. I sigh and brush some hair behind my ear, thinking about this morning's events.

* * *

 _We arrive early for brunch on Sunday to break the news to Molly and Arthur before telling everyone else. We've sat them down on the couch in the living room and told them that we're together. Arthur seems thrilled for us and tells us how happy he is for us; Molly, on the other hand, hasn't said a word. She's simply looking off in the distance somewhere._

" _Mrs. Weasley?" Harry says._

 _No response._

" _Molly, dear," Arthur says, getting his wife's attention. She snaps back to reality and looks at him. "Harry called you, dear."_

 _She looks back to him, deliberately avoiding eye contact with me. "Yes dear?"_

 _Harry and I glance to each other before he looks back to Molly. "D-did you hear me? Hermione and I are together."_

 _The way her face tightens when Harry tells her again tells me all I need to know: she's not happy. "Yes, dear, I heard you. I'm happy for you."_ _ **Liar.**_ " _Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check on breakfast."_

 _My throat tightens as I watch her walk away; I should have known. I should have known she wouldn't be happy about us. She completely shut me out during Fourth Year when Rita Skeeter spread that rumor that Harry and I were dating when we weren't and only started talking to me again once Harry dismissed the rumor. Now that we're actually dating, I don't know why I expected anything different._

 _Arthur sends an apologetic look our way. "Don't worry about her, kids. She'll come around; I promise."_

 _He smiles sheepishly before following his wife into the kitchen, leaving us alone in the living room. I look down at my lap and pick at the hem of my shirt, trying to keep my emotions under control. I don't realize that I've got tears running down my face until Harry brushes a few away with his thumb. He moves his hand to my chin and lifts my head up so I'm looking at him._

 _He smiles at me. "Hey, no need to cry; considering her track record, that went better than expected." I sniff and he caresses my cheek. "She'll come around, love. She always does."_

 _I nod and wipe away the leftover tears. "If it's okay with you, I think I'm going to skip breakfast. I don't have much of an appetite anymore."_

 _He nods, understandingly. "Where are you going to go?"_

" _I think I'm gonna stop by the cottage and say hi to Tina and Newt. Maybe go visit Luna afterwards. Are you going to stay?"_

 _He nods. "I'm going to see if I can calm the waters a little bit."_

 _I nod and squeeze his hand. "Okay; my house or yours tonight?"_

" _Your place; it's cozier."_

 _I smile and kiss him lightly. "I'll see you later, then."_

" _See you later," he says. I grab my bag and walk through the front door, not willing to take the floo in case I run into Molly and apparate to Scamander cottage._

* * *

After seeing Newt and Tina, I decide to come to the cemetery to visit my parents instead of going to see Luna. I'm not entirely sure why, it just felt like where I needed to be. So here I am.

"I don't know why her reaction hurts me so much," I tell the tombstones. My logical side is telling me that they can't hear me, but my emotions are telling me they can. So I talk to my parents, comforted in the thinking that even though they can't respond, at least they're listening. "She's done it before; once during Fourth Year and once after Ron and I broke up. Hell, for a while, I was worried she wasn't going to let me back into her house after the break up." I pluck a flower from the ground and twist it in between my fingers. "I suppose I understand her reasoning, though. She's protective of her kids and she's obviously going to take their side over mine. Not that I want her to pick sides; if anything I'd appreciate it if she didn't pick sides at all. Oh well; we can't have everything I guess. I hope Harry's okay; Merlin knows what happened after I left." I sigh. "Maybe I should just accept that she doesn't really see me as family; maybe to her, I'm just a family friend."

"Now that's a load of rubbish," a new voice says. I turn around and see Rolf standing behind me with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. "How long have you been standing there?" I ask.

"Long enough," he replies, sitting down next to me, placing the flowers in front of our mum's tombstone.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Granny floo called me after you left and said you'd had a rough morning. Since Luna was at my place, I knew you weren't with her and when I called Ginny, she said she hadn't seen you since Thursday. After that, I knew of only two places where you could be: here or your flat. I've been meaning to stop by here for a bit anyway so I figured I'd check here first. And here you are."

I give him a halfhearted smile. "Here I am."

He wraps an arm around me and I lean my head on his shoulder. "Don't get discouraged, little sis. I'm sure Molly will come around soon."

"It's not just that," I say, sitting back up. "What- what if Ron has the same reaction? Or a worse one?"

"Do you think he will?"

"I- I don't know anymore; at first, I thought he'd be a little bugged but then get over but now… now I'm not so sure. Ron has a temper worse than anyone I've ever seen. What if he takes it worse than Molly?"

"I don't understand why he would; wouldn't he be happy for you two?"

I shake my head. "You would think but Ron is… very, very complicated. Loyal, yes, but tends to have a jealous streak as well as an issue with always coming last since he's the youngest boy in the Weasley family."

"So you're saying you're worried he might cause problems because now that you and Harry are together, he's, once again, come in second." I nod. "Well, that's bloody stupid! He had his chance with you and it didn't work out. He's moved on, so why can't you? Who cares if it's with his best friend, you're his best friend too! And if he can't accept you two being together, then maybe he's not that good of a friend after all."

I sigh, knowing he's right. Rolf bumps me with his arm and I look up at him. "Chin up, little sis. Everything will be alright. Just remember that no matter what happens, you'll still have your family and Harry supporting you."

I smile at that, and hope to any god that's listening that Rolf is right.

* * *

My stomach is in knots and I'm shaking. I've never been this nervous for anything, not for OWLs, not for the bloody war, not even for NEWTs! This is the big day we break the news to Ron; and I'm not sure I'm going to make it.

Harry told me he had done some damage control with Molly after I left and she seemed to come around a bit but I'm still weary of going back to the Burrow; just because she told Harry she's okay, doesn't mean that she's actually okay. I'll go back to the Burrow on Sunday depending on how today goes; if it goes badly, I'll stay away for a while just until everything calms down.

I feel two hands rest on my hips and I'm pulled out of my thoughts. Harry turns me around and holds me close, resting our foreheads together. "Everything will be fine, I promise. I know Molly didn't have the desired reaction but this is Ron we're talking about! We've known him since we were eleven and, no matter what, we've always been best friends. This should be no different."

I nod, not trusting my voice. He must sense my anxiety because he kisses me lightly and, in the process, manages to melt my anxiety with just his lips. Before it can become more heated, though, he pulls away and my lips form into a pout. He chuckles and runs his thumb over my bottom lip. "Later love; right now, we have to stay focused."

I roll my eyes at that but nod in agreement. Just then, the fireplace roars and Ron's voice calls out for us. "Showtime," Harry says. "Ron! Hey mate, how are you?" he says, walking into the living room to greet Ron. I grab a bottle of Firewhiskey and three glasses before joining the boys in the living room. I smile and hug Ron before pouring the Firewhiskey and join Harry on the couch while Ron sits across from us a nearby chair.

"How was visiting with Joanna's parents?" I ask.

"It was good; Her parent's live off the coast so we had a great view of the beach. Her parents are really nice too."

"That's good, Ron. I'm glad you had a good time," I say, thankful he's in a good mood. Maybe it will be easier to tell him than I thought.

"Thanks, Hermione. What about you two? What have you been up to? Better yet, what this news you've got to tell me that's so important that you couldn't tell me this over a letter?" Ron says.

Harry and I glance at each other before looking back to Ron. _Here we go._

"Well, Ron," Harry begins, "we have something to tell you and- well, I'm just going to come out and say it: Hermione and I are together."

It's so silent, you could hear a pin drop. My breathing has all but stopped, my heart is pounding, and I'm clutching my glass so tight, my knuckles are turning white. Ron's said nothing for about a solid thirty seconds now and I'm starting to get nervous. That is, until he starts laughing hysterically.

Harry and I look to each other confused before looking back at Ron who has tears running down his face from laughing so hard. Finally, when he can breathe, he explains his reaction. "Oh, that is just too good, Harry! You and Hermione together, that's hilarious!" That's when it clicks: he doesn't believe us. "I admit, you got me for a second there," he continues, "but then I realized you're messing with me. That's a good one!"

"Ron," I begin, "w-we're not pulling a prank on you. Harry's telling the truth, we are dating."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "Okay guys, that was a good joke, you got me. You don't have to keep it going."

I sigh in frustration, put my glass on the table, cross my arms and lean back onto the couch. Harry looks at me sympathetically and I shake my head slightly before looking back to Ron to see the smile slowly falling off his face. Give it a few more seconds and he'll get it. Until then, I'll wait.

"Y- you're serious," Ron says. "You're actually together? Like _together_ together?"

"Yes," Harry answers.

And just like that, shit hits the fan. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR BLOODY MIND?! What kind of best friends are you?! You date both me and my sister then once you're done with us you date each other?! That's sick!"

"How is it sick, Ron?" I say, trying to keep my temper under control. Getting angry will only make _his_ anger worse. "It's been _years_ since you and I and Harry and Ginny broke up. We've all gone our separate ways and dated various people; Harry and I just realized that what we were looking for was with each other, not someone else. What is so wrong with that?"

"It's bloody betrayal, that's what's wrong!" Ron bellows.

"How?" Harry says, standing up to meet Ron's gaze; Ron may be taller than Harry but that won't stop him from meeting him eye to eye. "How the hell is it betrayal? It's not like we were dating behind your back _while_ you two were together! And we _wanted_ to tell you sooner but you were gone by the time we decided to break the news to everyone so-"

"What do you mean 'sooner?' Just how long has this been going on?"

"Almost three months," I reply, standing up but keeping my arms crossed. "It started just before Harry's birthday."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because now Ron's livid. "THREE MONTHS?! You've kept this from me for three months?! What else have you been keeping from me?! First you keep your true identity a secret, now this?! What's next? Am I going to find out in six months that you two have a kid together?!"

"Ronald!" I say. "Do you hear yourself?! You're being completely unfair! I didn't immediately tell you about who I really am because I needed time to think and process everything! And we waited to tell you about us because we just wanted some time with only each other for a while! I didn't hide anything from you to deliberately hurt you, I just needed time to let some things settle with the press before I started telling people."

"But you still went to him first! You always go to him!"

"OF COURSE I GO TO HIM! He's my best friend, Ron, and so are you but you have a girlfriend! You're in a relationship and I assume by the way that things are going between you two, you're going to marry her someday! How the hell would it look if I went to you first?! I went to Harry first because he was the first person who came to mind and because I needed someone to help me process this life-changing information I had just received."

"And I couldn't have helped you?!"

"I'm sure you could have but that's not the point. The point is I wanted Harry. I _needed_ Harry. It has nothing to do with whether or not you could have helped, Ron; it has everything to do with the first person who came to mind when my life flipped upside down was Harry. Simple as that."

He seems at a loss for words for that so he tries another tactic. "AND GINNY! You're her best friend, Hermione! How could you do this to her?!"

"Contrary to what you think, Ron, Ginny's just fine with Harry and I dating. If anything, she's encouraging it. And in case you're forgetting, she has a boyfriend! She's blissfully happy with Neville and has even invited Harry and I out for a double date with her and Neville. She's fine with us dating, your _brothers_ are fine with us dating, hell, even your father is okay with it! The only people who seem to have an issue with it are you and your mother."

"Actually, Molly's starting to come around to the idea so the main person with the issue here is you, Ron," Harry says.

Ron's face is starting to match his hair. I swear, if it wasn't such a serious situation, I'd be laughing at the image of steam coming out of Ron's ears. "Please point out where I'm wrong, Ron, but I fail to see where or how Harry and I betrayed you. You're one of the most important people in our lives and we want you to still be a part of that. But I don't know what you want us to say; we didn't betray you. Or we didn't intend to, at least."

"I- It's just _wrong!_ You two claimed you were like siblings for _years_ and now, all of a sudden, you're dating?! It just doesn't make sense! And _you_!" He turns his attention to Harry. "How could you?! She's my ex! Friends don't date each other's ex-girlfriends!"

"What?" Harry responds. "Since when has that been a rule?! And Hermione's not a bloody object, Ron; she's not something you can take turns with. So what if she dated you in the past, that was years ago! Why can't you just accept that we're together now?"

"Because we're like brothers, Harry! And you can't just date your brother's ex; it's- it's against the code of brotherhood!"

"Oh, now you're just making shit up!" I exclaim.

"Says the know-it-all bitch who never knows when to shut up!" Ron exclaims.

Suddenly the room feels ten degrees colder, Harry's hands bunch up into fists, and I feel my stomach drop. "So, now the truth comes out," I say, my voice like ice. "That's how you really feel about me, is it?" I try to swallow but my mouth is dry. Instead, I nod. "You know, Ron, this could have gone a completely different way had you just accepted that Harry and I are dating and be happy for us. But no, you had to make a scene, you _had_ to accuse us for whatever twisted reason your head came up with." I don't want to say this, but he's left me no choice. By the way that Harry's hands are shaking with rage, I know he's feeling the same. "I'm done, Ron. I'm done with your temper tantrums, I'm done with your irrational way of thinking, and I'm done with being verbally abused by someone who claims to be my best friend.

"You have made me cry since we were eleven years old; that stops today. No friend who claims to love me would make me cry as often as you do. No friend would insult me the way you just have. No friend would _ever_ make me feel so worthless and call me a bitch, like you have."

"Hermione, I-"

"NO!" I yell. "You've had your chance to talk, now it's my turn. Gods, Ron, I just wanted to share a happy moment with you and you had to go and ruin it! I have given you chance after chance after chance but now, I'm all out of second chances. I'm _tired_ , Ron. I'm so bloody tired of fighting with you all the time! I'm tired of crying myself to sleep at night; I'm tired of feeling like I'm not good enough.

"And, finally, someone else comes into my life; except he's always been there. He's always been my shoulder to cry on, my confidant, my rock, and now, my lover. And I'm so excited because he's also my best friend and I think, _Yes, thank Merlin for this constant person among my rollercoaster of a life_. And, after keeping him to myself for a few months, I just want to share it with the people I care about most; I just want to show them that I'm happy and complete and _in love_ and then you just… you have to go and start accusing us of betraying you." I sigh and run my hands through my hair, deliberately avoiding eye contact with the both of them. "I'm done. Get out, Ron. And don't come back."

"I-"

"You've said enough, Ron. It's time to leave." Harry's voice is stone cold. I glance over to him and see that he's stopped shaking but his fist's are still clenched. I stare a part of the carpet as I see two pairs of feet walk towards the fireplace. "Oh Ron, one more thing," I hear Harry say before I hear a loud crack and Ron exclaim in pain. I don't have to look to know that Harry's just punched him. "That's for insulting my girlfriend in her own home. Be thankful that's the only thing I'm hitting you for. Now, get out."

The fireplace roars and I hear Harry whisper a spell that blocks my floo. I glance towards him but I don't meet his eyes. Instead, I focus on his bloodied knuckles. "Your hand is bleeding," I say, walking towards the kitchen. I grab a towel and wet it with some warm water from the faucet, trying to ignore the sound of Harry's footsteps walking towards me.

"Hermione-"

"Let me see your hand," I say. He lifts it up and I begin to clean off the blood with the rag. "Fortunately, I don't think you broke anything but your hand will be sore for a day or so."

"Hermione-"

"I should have some pain reliever potion in the cupboard upstairs. That, and along with some ice should-"

"Hermione!"

"WHAT?!" I say, finally looking up at him. I see the concern in his eyes and I look back down, trying to will the tears that are forming to go away. "What?" I say, much quieter this time.

"Will you look at me please?" he asks, softly. I shake my head no. "Hermione, _please_."

I choke back a sob and look back up at him, tears running down my face now. He puts the towel on the counter and caresses my face with both hands, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. "Did you mean it?" he asks, quietly.

"Mean what?" I ask, knowing full well what he's asking.

"What you said about… about being in love. With me."

I try to look down but his hands on my face are steady and won't let me move my head down so I just look away from him and nod. "Hey," he says, gently. I look back to him and see his eyes watering with tears of his own. "Don't be embarrassed or ashamed or anything like that, okay?" He runs his thumb across my bottom lip. "I'll tell you a secret," he says as he rests our foreheads together. "I love you too," he whispers.

I release a sound that's a mix between a sob and a laugh, wrap my arms around his neck and pull him into a kiss. The kiss tastes like salt and I don't know who's crying, me, him, or both of us, but frankly, I don't care. _He loves me._ And, right now, that's all that matters.

I don't know how much time passes as we kiss- minutes, hours, days, months- but I know that when we pull apart, any doubts about what Harry may feel about me are gone. He brushes his knuckles against my cheek lovingly and I play with the ends of his hair at the nape of his neck. He chuckles and pulls back a little. "I got some blood on you; sorry love."

I smile and shake my head, taking the wet towel and wiping it off before wrapping his damaged hand in it. "Come on; let's get you fixed up."

He follows me upstairs, through my room and into my bathroom so I can heal his hand. I use some Essence of Dittany on his hand and the wounds go away but he flinches as he moves his hand. "Just be careful for the next few days; don't go punching anyone else."

He chuckles at that and follows me back into my room and sits with me on the bed. "I can't believe I punched Ron," he says.

I sigh. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. You shouldn't have had to do that."

"I wasn't about to stand there and let him insult you. Had you not started talking, I would have done something a lot worse. While you showed him what an arse he is, I had a chance to take a deep breath and think my actions through. That's when I decided punching seemed like the best idea."

I chuckle but there's no humor behind it. "Gods, Harry, what the hell just happened? I've never seen him like that before."

He shakes his head. "I don't know. I- I have no idea what got into him. He's always had a temper but that was unlike anything I've ever seen."

I sniff and wipe away the tears forming in my eyes. "Harry, I think I just ended my friendship with Ron. Possibly yours too. Did- did I do the right thing? Should I call him and see if we can work this out? Oh, Gods, what have I done?" I bury my face into my hands but it doesn't last long as Harry removes my hands and takes them in his own.

"Hermione, don't you dare go questioning yourself. You did exactly the right thing. Ron… Ron's always been someone who acts before he thinks. I'm not sure what just happened down there but I know for a fact that once he cools down and is thinking more clearly, he'll realize what he did and said. Whether he'll apologize is another story but for now, I say we leave it alone for now. Merlin knows all three of us could use some time to calm down after this."

I nod in agreement. "Should we tell anyone about what happened?"

"You're more than welcome to tell your family and I do think we should tell Ginny, just so she knows the real story, but I don't think we need to tell it to the world. At the end of the day, this is between the three of us and it's only going to get solved by the three of us. If anyone else gets involved, then it'll just get more complicated."

"Okay," I nod then sigh. "Harry, I'm sorry, I'm going to stop going to the Burrow for a while. I don't think I could face all the Weasleys after what happened today. But, if you still want to go, that's completely okay with me. I don't want you to stop visiting your second family because we got into a fight with Ron."

He shakes his head. "I appreciate that, love, but I might take a step back anyway. Just for a couple weeks at least; I know for sure if I go this Sunday, Ron and I will get into a fist fight before Molly can even say hello to me. I love them and, at the end of the day, I love Ron; but I'm not going to put myself in a position where the situation could escalate."

I wrap my arms around his waist and he pulls me close to him. "Are you okay?" I ask.

He kisses the top of my head and sighs. "Not really."

"Me too," I say.

We sit in silence as I think of two more changes to the book: 1) My friendship with Ron is over and 2) Harry's in love with me too.

* * *

 ** _Sorry..._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	12. The Aftermath

_**A/N: Wow... I can't even begin to describe how I feel after all of your amazing reviews to the last chapter. You guys are so wonderful, you made my weekend! I'm sorry I couldn't respond to all of you personally but I mean it when I say thank you to each and every one of you. You're the best readers ever!**_

 _ **Also, this story has officially hit (over) 100 reviews! Woohoo! Thank you, friends!**_

 ** _Tallyho!_**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: The Aftermath**

I call Ginny later that night after Harry and I wake up from our accidental nap. We hadn't meant to fall asleep but we were both so emotionally exhausted that it just happened. We both feel better after we wake up, though, so I guess it was a good thing.

"Hey, how'd it go today?" Ginny asks.

"Not good, Gin. Not good at all. Ron completely blew up."

"What do you mean he blew up?" She asks.

I explain to her what happened with Ron while Harry brings me a cup of tea. I kiss him lightly in thanks and he sits next to me on the couch, and I lay against him, just enjoying the feel of being in his arms, despite telling Ginny about my nightmare of an afternoon. Once I'm done telling her, the other line is silent.

"Gin?"

"Hermione, why can't I get through your floo?"

"Oh, Harry blocked it after Ron left."

"Okay, well can you unblock it please?"

"Why?"

"Just do it, please."

I shake my head and wave my wand in the direction of my floo to unblock it. "Thanks hon," Ginny says before hanging up on me. I look to the phone before looking up at Harry who seems just as confused as I am. "What the hell was that about?" he asks.

I shrug and get up to put the phone on the receiver. Just then, my floo roars to life and Ginny walks into my living room. The second she sees me, she pulls me into a tight hug which I return wholeheartedly, grateful that she's here. While Ginny and I stay embraced, my floo comes to life again and this time, Neville walks through. He smiles at me before hugging Harry.

Ginny pulls out of the hug and looks at me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know he was going to react like that. Hell I don't know _why_ he acted like that. If it were up to me, I'd throttle him to bits but Neville talked me into coming here instead."

I laugh and nod to Neville. "Good job, Neville."

He shakes his head. "I wouldn't thank me yet; I feel the same as Ginny about throttling Ron but I figured we should see you two first before going to yell at a certain Weasley."

Harry chuckles. "Well, thank you both; I appreciate that you came by."

"Did you two have plans tonight?" Ginny asks.

Harry and I look to each other before shaking our heads. "Not really," I reply.

"Good. Grab your shoes," she says.

"What, why?" I ask.

"Because you need to be cheered up and I need to be distracted. Therefore, we're going bowling!"

* * *

Ginny is a genius! Bowling was just what all of us needed to cheer ourselves up after what feels like the day from hell. If only the rest of the night could have stayed as lighthearted as the few hours we were gone. When Harry, Ginny, Neville, and I return to my flat, we're shocked to find Joanna sitting on my doorstep, a duffle bag sitting next to her.

"Joanna?" I say, breaking away from the group to talk to her with Ginny right behind me. "What are you doing here?"

She looks up and I see that she's been crying. Immediately, Ginny and I tense, knowing that what she's about to tell us won't be good. "Sorry," she sniffs, standing up. "I would have called but I couldn't reach you and I didn't really know where else to go that wasn't my parent's place."

"Joanna, what's wrong?" I ask.

"Ron and I broke up," she replies.

* * *

Damn, and I thought my afternoon sucked.

Poor Joanna. Apparently, the second Ron got back to her place, he just started screaming at her and pointing out all the things he thought were wrong with her. She wasn't having any of that and, after an intense screaming match, she told him to pack his things and get out. And he did. She's spent the last two hours changing the locks on her doors, changing her wards and blocking her floo so Ron can't come back. Then, unable to take being in her house anymore (but not wanting to go to her parents), she packed a bag and ended up on my doorstep.

Just looking at her, you can see how emotionally drained she is. Ginny's comforting her while Neville's bringing her a cup of tea and Harry and I are busy setting up my guest room. Once the bed is made and fresh towels are put in the bathroom, we return downstairs.

"Okay, Jo," I say, "the guest bedroom and bath are all set up for you. If there's anything else you may need, just let me know. You're welcome to stay as long as you need."

She gives me a small smile. "Thank you, Hermione, that's very sweet of you. I'm sorry to be such a bother."

"You're not a bother at all," I say. "I'm glad I can help."

Her smile grows a little. "I heard about you two, by the way. I'm happy for you."

Harry wraps his arm around my shoulder and I smile at him before looking back to Joanna. "Thanks."

She nods and unwraps Ginny's arm from around her. "I think I'll go shower and go to bed. Thank you all, again; especially you, Hermione. I can't thank you enough for helping me."

I smile at her and pull her into a hug. "What are friends for," I say.

She smiles at me before walking upstairs. "Goodnight, everyone."

"G'night," we all say. We wait for her door to close before we start to talk.

"I don't understand," Neville says as Harry and I sit on the opposite end of the couch. "I've never heard of Ron being this angry before. What do you suppose got into him?"

Harry shrugs. "Who the hell knows; maybe we'll find out, maybe we won't. At this point, I just don't want to think about it anymore."

"Agreed," Ginny says. She looks up at the clock on the wall and stands up. "We should get going. I'll stop by the in morning and bring Luna and the four of us will have a girl's day, okay? I think all of us could use it."

I nod in agreement. "That sounds like a great idea." I hug both her and Neville, thanking them again for coming by and Harry and I watch them floo out of my flat. When they're gone, I turn around wrap my arms around Harry's waist. He kisses the top of my head and I sigh. "Are you going to stay?"

I feel him shake his head. "No; as much as I want to stay, I think you should focus on Joanna tonight. She's had it worse than all of us simply because Ron took his anger out on her. I'll call you tomorrow during your girls day."

I nod and pull back so I can look at him. "Promise me something?"

"Anything," he says.

"Don't go after Ron, okay? I know he's hurt you. He hurt me too and Joanna worst of all but _please_ , don't go after him. If you feel the need to go anywhere, come back here or go to Rolf's or even Neville's but _promise me_ you won't go after him."

He smiles kindly at me and brushes a curl behind my ear. "I won't, love. I promise, I won't do anything rash or unnecessary that involves Ron, I promise." He raises his right hand. "Gryffindor's honor."

I chuckle. "Thank you, love."

He leans down to kiss me and I wrap my arms around his neck, wishing I could keep him close tonight. But he's right; Joanna needs a friend right now. So, sighing, I pull out of the kiss and lean my forehead against his.

"I'll call you tomorrow, okay? And don't you go and do anything rash, either. Just take care of Joanna and call me if you need anything. Even if it's three in the morning, call me, and I'll come right over."

I smile. "Why are you so good to me?"

"You're my best friend, Hermione; always have been. And now, you're my girlfriend and I'm going to be there for you and stand by you like you always have with me. This thing with Ron, it's temporary. I don't know how long it'll take but he'll come around, eventually, and everything will work out. It always has in the past and it will again."

"I admire your optimism," I say.

He shrugs. "Hey, when you've been working with the Aurors for the past five years, you learn that a little optimism goes a long way."

I smile and walk him over to my fireplace. We kiss goodbye but he caresses my face with his hands when we break the kiss. "I love you, you know," he says.

"I know; I love you too," I reply.

We kiss once more and then I watch him disappear behind a veil of green flames.

I sigh and turn off the lights downstairs. "Come on, Crookshanks," I say, my familiar following me upstairs and into my room. I change into some pyjamas and brush my teeth before returning to my bedroom. I'm confused when I see Crookshanks scratching at my bedroom door, itching to get out. I open the door and watch as he walks to the door across the hall where Joanna is staying and he scratches on her door.

"Crookshanks, no," I whisper, "you can't go in there." I move to pick him up but freeze when I hear the sounds of quiet crying on the other side of the door. _Oh, Joanna,_ I think. I hesitate before turning the doorknob and cracking the door open. "Joanna?" I say.

She doesn't respond but Crookshanks lets himself into the room anyway and hops onto the bed and curls up next to her feet. I smile at that and start to close the door again but stop when I hear Joanna sniff. My heart breaks a little and I enter the room and lie down next to her on the bed, unsure of what to say. As it turns out, I don't need to say much because Joanna turns around and buries her face into my shoulder as she sobs. I wrap my arms around her and hold onto her, silently reassuring her that everything would be okay.

* * *

 _ **Here, have some feels.**_


	13. Lost and Found

_**A/N: I am so not feeling Monday... Hoping you guys are functioning a little better than I am right now.**_

 ** _Also, very short chapter alert!_**

 ** _Tallyho!_**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Lost and Found**

So far, the girls' day is going really well. Ginny and Luna came over first thing in the morning and made pancakes while singing to Joanna songs from the radio in order to cheer her up. Thankfully, it worked. After breakfast, Joanna and I showered and got dressed and Ginny and Luna took us to a spa in muggle London (something I introduced to both of them a few years ago). It's been our go-to whenever one of us is having a shitty time because it allows us to just relax and be pampered and have fun without any outside worries sneaking in.

After the spa, we grab lunch a small cafe before heading back to my place to binge watch a bunch of movies and pig out on popcorn and wine. I talk to Harry briefly on the phone but Joanna and Ginny yell at me to hang up since it's a "No Boys Allowed" night. I wish him a good night then return to the movie that we're watching. By the end of the night, all four of us are in higher spirits (especially Joanna) and I have Ginny and Luna crash at my place since it's well after 2am by the time we realize we're tired.

Joanna leaves the next morning with Ginny and Luna, ready to return home. She's still hurting from her breakup but I can also tell that she feels a lot better since she came to my place. After the girls leave, I clean up my flat a little bit before jumping into the shower then heading over to Scamander Cottage to visit my grandparents and brother.

The second I arrive, I know something's wrong. There's a tension in the air that just doesn't feel right. When I walk into the living room, I see Tina and Newt sitting on the couch looking solemn while Rolf is pacing back and forth. "Everything okay?" I ask.

Rolf stops and looks up at me; I can see the stress in his eyes. Something is wrong.

"Rolf, what is it?" I ask, walking towards him.

He shakes his head and pulls me into a tight hug which I return. I look to my grandparents and they smile weakly at me. Rolf breaks the hug and sits me down between Tina and Newt before pacing again. "Hermione, you'll remember I hired an investigator after we reconnected to see if anything would come up on your kidnapper," he begins.

 _Oh no_ , I think. _This isn't going to end well._

"I've been talking to him for the past couple days and he had some information for us that… well, it's not good information. But it's also information that we need to hear."

"Well, what is it?"

Rolf sighs and sits down in a nearby chair, running his hands through his hair before looking up at me. "Your kidnapper's been found and arrested."

My heart drops to my stomach and for a solid second, I feel like I can't breathe. Tina and Newt are holding each of my hands and, honestly, if it wasn't for them, I'd probably be hyperventilating right now. "W-who is it?"

Newt answers me this time. "His name is Jonas Northrup; he was the Defense professor at Ilvermorny and was good friends with your parents."

Rolf scoffs at that but before I can ask, Tina takes over and answers my unasked question. "Here's the difficult part, dear… Jonas wasn't just good friends with your parents; he and your mother were practically siblings and he was also very close with your father. Which makes this next part so much harder:" she takes a deep breath before continuing, "Jonas Northrup is yours and Rolf's godfather."

* * *

 ** _Dun dun duuuunnnnnn!_**


	14. The Interrogation

_**A/N: Alright, this is gonna be a long author's note but please read it as it's important.**_

 _ **Okay, so the last chapter and this chapter, when I wrote it, was written as one whole chapter. I made a last minute decision to split them up as I thought it would be a good idea. After a couple of reviews, I'm realizing that, perhaps, that was not my best idea but *shrugs* live and learn. Since I did that though, I have managed to do a massive editing job to the next two chapters as well as added a WHOLE EXTRA CHAPTER that was not initially planned. Ya'll better love me for that.**_

 _ **I hope that with the edits I've made, I answer any questions that you guys may have (bear in mind that not everything will be answered in this chapter). I appreciate all the constructive criticism I've received on the last chapter (also, HUGE THANKS to everyone who reviewed for being so kind in their responses. That made a world of difference in reading those) and I want to thank those of you who were very specific in your criticisms (you know who you are) because you helped me fix these next few chapters. I hope that, with these edits, things will start to make more sense and you'll be willing to forgive me for splitting up the previous chapter.**_

 ** _I've also learned that not all mistakes are bad because had I not split up the chapter, I wouldn't have fixed these next chapters. So, how's that for a life lesson, huh?!_**

 ** _Okay, I think that's everything. Thank you guys again for your wonderful reviews/follows/favorites on this story. It makes my day knowing that you guys are enjoying this story. Also, facecast for Jonas Northrup is on the BOL Pinterest board (link is on my profile)._**

 ** _Tallyho!_**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: The Interrogation**

"My godfather?!" I exclaim. "But… _how_?! I didn't even know I had a godfather!"

Newt squeezes my hand. "I know you have questions, Hermione; we do too. But we need to discuss our next course of action first before we do anything else."

I hesitate but nod in agreement when my eyes reach Rolf's. He's hurting; and so am I. But we need each other right now and losing my head over this won't help. Gods, what I'd give to punch something right now…

"These are the files that the investigator found on him," Newt says, handing me a thick file full of information on my godfather. Exemplary student in potions at Ilvermorny, known to be a very friendly person, and… what the hell? "Died in 1988?! What? How is that possible if he's been arrested?"

"He faked his death," Rolf answers.

"How are the Aurors sure that this is the same man who kidnapped me? Especially if he's been 'dead' for sixteen years?"

Rolf sighs. "They brought him in for a citation and our investigator happened to be there at the time looking through some files. He just so happened to pass a file on Northrup when he saw him filling out some paperwork with another Auror. He stopped and asked him some questions, and sensing something wasn't right, he brought him for questioning. After about an hour of talking to him, our investigator managed to put two and two together and saw that it was, indeed, Jonas Northrup who he was talking to, alive and well.

"After he had that confirmed, he had enough suspicion to interrogate him under Veritaserum. That's when the truth came out that Northrup had kidnapped you."

My heart feels like it's dropped to my stomach. Tina squeezes my hand and I lean into her a little bit for support.

"Okay; what do we do now?"

"We're going to be allowed a chance to speak with him and get the answers we need. He'll be under Veritaserum so we'll know he's telling the truth," Rolf answers.

"After that, he'll testify and, if the evidence holds, and it most likely will, he'll be going to Azkaban for a very, _very_ long time," Newt finishes.

I swallow, trying to absorb all of this at once but I furrow my brows as I say the one thing that's been bugging me: "But I didn't think godparents could legally hurt their godchildren?"

Tina shrugs. "The laws in America are different; they see that as more a matter of common sense rather than one of necessity. I don't think it ever occurred to anyone over there that something like this would happen."

"Can he be charged in the English court system even though this happened in America?"

Newt nods. "Since you are an English citizen, the U.K. Ministry will take over the case. If it were reversed and you were an American citizen, the same rules would apply and the American ministry would take the case."

I sigh and nod my head. I'm not even sure what I feel anymore and I can barely string my thoughts together. Merlin help me…

"Okay," I say, finally. "Let's make a list of the questions we want answered and then let's go see this bastard."

* * *

I'm standing outside an interrogation room in the Ministry, watching Jonas Northrup fiddle with the shackles around his wrists. I expected (more like wanted) him to look similar to Peter Pettigrew: gross, shaggy, and someone who I'd have no problem hating. Instead, I'm stuck staring at an attractive fifty-something man with dark hair and dark eyes and a smirk that I would love nothing more than to smack off his face.

Why does he have to look so Goddamn _normal_?! It was easy to dislike Pettigrew: he spent twelve years as a rat and when he finally returned to his human form… well, let's just say he looked better as a rat. And that's saying something since he was an ugly arse rat.

But this arsehole! He looks so fucking normal, it kills me. This man was trusted by both my parents and then he turned his back on them and fucking kidnapped me, causing them grief for so many years. I'm so angry right now, I don't know whether to cry, scream, punch something, or all three. Instead, however, I stand and watch him, wishing he looked more concerned for his fate instead of sitting there so fucking smug.

I feel arms wrap themselves around my shoulders and I'm immediately calmed, knowing that Rolf is here with me. Newt and Tina chose to stay behind, knowing that if they came, they might pummel Northrup to the ground. So, instead, Rolf and I are here to face this arsehole.

Rolf rests his chin on top of my head and he sighs. "How you holding up?" I ask.

He chuckles. "Ask me after this is over."

I chuckle and nod in agreement. "Does he look any different to you?"

I feel him shrug. "Who's to say? The last time I saw him, I was about ten and he was saying goodbye to Mum and Dad because he had been offered another job at some Scandinavian wizarding school. Six months later, we had heard a report that he had died in a potions explosion. After reading up on that file, now I know why they never found a body. There was never one to find."

"You two ready?" A new voice asks. We turn to look and see Harry watching us. I break myself from Rolf's hold only to run into Harry's arms. He holds me tightly and kisses my temple. "He's already been administered the Veritaserum," he says to me but loud enough that Rolf can hear him too. "The dosage we gave him should be strong enough to last about two hours. If you're still talking to him, we'll administer another dose."

I pull back and nod at what Harry's saying. Harry leads us to the door. "Shall we?"

"Wait, you're coming with us?" I ask.

"Of course; you need to have an Auror with you in case things get out of control and I volunteered."

Rolf and I look to each other, before looking back at Harry. I shake my head and sigh. "Alright, if you say so." Personally, I think Harry might be a liability since he's involved with me which makes the case personal for him but if Robards said it's okay, then I guess it's okay.

Harry opens the door and lets Rolf and I in before following us and standing by the door while Rolf and I sit down across from Northrup. His smirk grows as he looks at us and my dislike for this man grows.

"Well, I must say, Rolf, you've certainly grown quite a bit since I last saw you. You're nearly a spitting image of your father."

Rolf's hands curl into tight fists. "Northrup, if you think for one second, that you have _any_ right to talk about my father after the things you've done, you're sorely mistaken. Do not assume that I will be kind to you; years without my sister have made me a determined man and, believe me when I say, I will not hesitate to break you into two pieces. Do I make myself clear?"

I see where I get my temper from. I feel like seeing Rolf so angry should scare me but in all honesty, it doesn't. He has every right to be angry and, frankly, so do I. Which is why I'm so confused because I was angry outside but now that I'm sitting with Northrup, all of my anger has vanished and I'm just left with contempt towards this man. Perhaps Rolf is angry enough for both of us which is my anger has dissipated. I glance behind me to Harry and see that his hand is on his wand but he's made no move to stop Rolf. Hopefully he won't have to.

Northrup's eyes flash dangerously at my brother. "Crystal." Then they turn to me and they change from dangerous to amused. "Impressive. I didn't expect you to find each other for quite a while longer; possibly long after I had died. Just _how_ did you discover your true identity, Miss Granger? Or should I say Miss Scamander?"

Rolf moves to speak to Northrup again but I put my hand on his arm to stop him. This is my battle just as much as his; and we have to get through it together. "It's still Granger for the time being. As for how I found out, I was trying to fix my adoptive parents' memories after I obliviated them during the war to keep them safe. The Ministry official I was talking to said their memories couldn't be repaired without major risks, one of them being death, so I chose to leave them where they are, satisfied in knowing that they're safe, even if they're not with me. That's when the official showed me the adoption papers and the file regarding my real identity. I went home, wrote a letter to Rolf, and, as they say, the rest is history."

His eyes still hold an amused look to them that make me feel uncomfortable but I refuse to break eye contact. "How noble," he says.

"In the eyes of some, yes; in the eyes of others, it's also been perceived as selfish; even cowardly."

He scoffs. "Please; if there's anything I've learned over the years, Miss Granger, it's that the opinion of others hardly ever matters to those who know better. What do they know of the sacrifices you've made? What do they know of pain or heartbreak? It is best to remember that lions rarely lose sleep over the opinions of sheep."

I swallow, and sit up a little straighter. "I appreciate the life advice, Mr. Northrup, but I didn't ask for it, therefore it is rendered useless to me. And, last I checked, _we're_ the ones here to ask the questions, not you, so I would greatly appreciate it if you'd let us get on with this."

He leans back in his chair and gestures to us to speak. I look to Rolf who shakes his head, still too angry to speak. I look back to Northrup and ask my first question. "How did you fake your death? Better yet, why?" Not the first questions you'd expect me to ask, I know, but I need to prepare myself for the harder questions so I'm starting with the ones that will have less of an emotional impact, if you will.

He shrugs. "How: I faked a potions explosion then apparated out of building and into a safe house I had; I laid low for a few months before moving to a new safe house. I would switch from safe house to safe house for the next few years before I knew it was relatively safe for me to start walking around in public again, albeit carefully and with a few minor glamors. As for why: I knew sooner or later, your parents would find you and, in turn, find out what happened to you which would lead them to finding out _who_ kidnapped you in the first place. I needed to cover my tracks and keep myself safe from that investigator your parents hired; as I've just explained, I moved from safe house to safe house in order to keep myself safe. For the last ten years, I've been moving around safe houses in Australia for two reasons: 1) I like it there and 2) I knew that investigator wouldn't think to go outside the borders of the States and if I was half a world away, chances are, I wouldn't be found very easily. But that didn't stop me from continuing to move around." He cocks his head to the side and studies me. "I'm sure you can only imagine my surprise when I saw the Grangers wandering around Sydney a couple years ago with no knowledge of the daughter they had adopted from me all those years before."

My blood runs cold at that. "You've seen my parents?"

He nods. "Yes; and they're quite happy, don't worry. They have a nice little dentist practice with a view of the ocean and live in a modest flat just down the way from their office. You did good. It's a shame you can't bring them back, though."

I knew all of that already, but something about this creep spying on my parents makes me want to punch his perfect teeth. Before I can respond, though, Rolf has me beat. "Listen here, you little shit," Rolf says, standing but I pull him off to the side and put my hands on both his arms.

"Rolf, look at me," I say. He does. "I love you and thank you for trying to defend me but we need to keep our heads here. Our emotions are running high right now, I know, but if we want answers, we need to keep them in check, okay? _Promise me_ you will do that."

He sighs and ruffles his hair. "Fine; I promise."

"Thank you," I say.

Rolf returns to his seat and I follow, nodding at Harry, who's been silently watching everything unfold. Northrup watches us with an amused expression but has the brains not to say anything. I glance at Rolf before looking back at Northrup and continuing my questioning. "If you've been living in Australia all these years, how come you were found in London?"

Again, he shrugs. "Simple mistake; I assumed because it had been so long since I had last been seen, no one would bat an eye at my walking around. I didn't realize that Rolf, here, had hired another investigator to figure out what happened to you. He found my name on a document and, after spotting me here at your ministry while I was paying a citation, he chatted me up. Once he connected the dots that something didn't add up, he brought me in here to interrogation where… well, I'm sure you can figure out the rest." He looks at Rolf before he speaks again. "I hope you pay him well, Rolf. I hate to admit it but I'm impressed at how much digging he did in order to find your sister's kidnapper."

"Thanks for the advice," Rolf says, with plenty of malice behind it.

I swallow and move on to a couple of Newt and Tina's questions. "Why did you come back to London in the first place?"

"I had to see the long lost Scamander daughter in person for myself, to make sure it wasn't a practical joke. The _Prophet_ 's been known to print some wrong information before so I wanted to confirm it with my own eyes."

"The last you heard from my parents was when we were still in New York," Rolf says. "How'd you know we were in England?"

"I kept tabs on the papers from both countries, since I knew that your grandparents still lived in England. After I saw the news that both Felix and Lucy had died, I knew that there was only one place left for you to go: England. I also knew that Hermione lived in England but you were so far away from each other, it didn't occur to me that you two would ever cross paths. That was until I saw the article revealing your true identity," he says to me.

"Why?" I ask, finally ready to ask the hard questions.

"What what?"

"Why did you kidnap me? Why did you take me away from my family at two years old only to have me be adopted by an English muggle couple? Why me? What were you trying to accomplish?"

He sighs and rolls his eyes. "Revenge, young Scamanders, is a complicated art. One that cannot be so easily explained in a matter of a few minutes."

"Revenge? On who?" Rolf asks at the same time that I say: "Try me."

Northrup smirks. "On your parents, of course."

"Excuse me?" I say, digging my nails into Rolf's knee to keep him from exploding.

"Your mother was supposed to marry me, you know," he begins. Already, I can see that he's getting angry, which is good: we're gonna finally get some damn answers. I ignore his first comment and wait until he finishes speaking. "We had been friends for _years_ , ever since our first year at Ilvermorny. Everyone always said we were going to end up together; we had been friends for so long, it was only a matter of time before we fell in love and got married.

"And I _did_ fall in love with her; I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. And I thought she wanted the same. Then I met your father and introduced them at a party a mutual friend was hosting. That's when I knew I had made a grave mistake.

"They were smitten with each other from the moment they met; I had to watch as they fell in love, while my own heart shattered. When Felix proposed, I knew I was done for. I stood by, only known as the dutiful best friend who had introduced them. I was the best man in their wedding and was named godfather of you two. I watched the woman I loved have a life with someone else; someone who wasn't me.

"Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to retaliate; to get my revenge on the two people who had destroyed my life. So I destroyed theirs. I admit, it wasn't easy, trying to exact my revenge. But that day in the park was my first _real_ chance; I was disguised so I could watch you with ease. Rolf never strayed far from your parents, always keeping an eye on them but _you_ , Hermione, you were always an adventurer. You strayed farther from your parents, curious about the world around you. When you got far enough, I knocked you out and apparated away to a portkey I had waiting a couple blocks down.

"By the time your parents realized you were missing, we were already in London. I altered your memories so you wouldn't remember your parents or your brother, grabbed the files I needed, then contacted the Grangers to tell them that they had been matched with a two-year-old girl. They fell in love with you instantly, signed the papers then and there, and your new life had begun while Felix and Lucy's fell apart.

"They still had their son, true, but they would never really be happy until their daughter had been returned to them. After a few years of being the supportive best friend your parents needed, I decided it was time to disappear. I knew I was pushing my luck with staying as long as I had but the investigators your parents hired hadn't found you yet so I was in the clear. Still, to save my own skin, I faked my own death and, well, you know the rest."

Rolf is raging at this point and even my nails in his leg can't and won't stop him from wanting to strangle this man in front of us. And, in all honesty, I don't intend to stop him.

"You mean to tell me that you broke my parent's hearts, stole my sister from us, and then proceeded to _lie_ to us for the next eight years when you knew where she was the whole time because you were still holding a torch for our mother?! What kind of sick bastard are you?! Who tears a girl away from her family and throws her into a completely different world on her own while then watching that family turn themselves inside out to find her only to never be successful?!

"We trusted you! We let you into our home and into our private lives! You were supposed to be there for them and yet you betrayed them in the worst way ever! And all for lost love?! How could you, you bastard?!"

Rolf looks about ready to strangle Northrup but Harry chooses now to step in and stop him. "I think that's enough for today. You're time's just about up anyway."

We stand and Harry leads us out of the room, none of us looking back.

During the war, I thought I had met all of the worst walks of life: Bellatrix Lestrange, Fenrir Greyback, Voldemort, Umbridge, Pettigrew… all of them are listed in my book from bad to worse, Bellatrix and Umbridge tied for the top spot. Yes, Voldemort was terrible but have you _met_ the other two?! You'd be insane not to put them at the top of your list. And until now, they've remained at the top. But now, there's a new person at the top of my list: Jonas Northrup.

* * *

"Fuck, and I thought my life was bad," Malfoy says.

I roll my eyes and flick a chip in his general direction. "Thanks, you're such a great help."

He chuckles. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

"Stick to being a pain in the arse; it suits you more."

He smirks. "As you wish."

Yes, this is exactly what you think it is. I am sitting in a pub, in muggle London, eating a sandwich and chips with Draco Malfoy telling him about the roller coaster my life has become in the last few days. Harry and Rolf are currently spending some quality time together as Harry helps Rolf recover from finding out our godfather is the world's biggest bastard. I think it'll do them both some good to talk with someone who understands rather than someone who's only _trying_ to understand the situation.

As for me, well, to be completely honest, I needed a drinking buddy after today's revelations. And Malfoy just so happens to be a great one. I know you probably think I'm insane but, once you get past his arrogance and that infuriating smirk, he's quite the conversationalist. And he doesn't sugarcoat anything so I know I can trust him to give me an honest opinion if I need one. He refuses to admit it, but we're becoming really good friends. We still call each other by our last names, though; calling each other by our first names just sounds too weird.

"So what happens now?" He asks after the waitress brings me another beer.

I sigh and take a drink. "Northrup has a trial coming up on the twelfth. Since he was under Veritaserum for our interrogation this afternoon and for his earlier interrogation with the Aurors after he was first arrested, he'll most likely be indicted within the first fifteen minutes."

"What's his estimated sentence?"

"Maximum of twenty years."

Malfoy raises his eyebrows. "Really? I thought most kidnapping sentences only lasted ten at most?"

"They do. And it would if the case was against Hermione Granger."

"What do you mean?"

I sigh at the ridiculousness behind the court system. "Hermione Granger, while a war hero, is still a muggleborn with less support in court because of her background. Hermione _Scamander,_ however, holds more standing."

"Because you're a pureblood," he says.

"Because I'm a pureblood," I confirm. "It's bullshit but the Wizengamot can't overrule a twenty year sentence on the bastard who kidnapped a pureblood war heroine who's the granddaughter of one of the Wizarding World's most influential wizards. England would riot if they did."

"But, if you're pressing charges as Hermione Scamander does that mean-"

"I'm taking on the Scamander name… well, sort of. I'm going to go by Hermione Granger Scamander in order to honor both families. But, in the eyes of the Wizengamot and other courts, I will be known as just Hermione Scamander. It's the only way I can be sure that this bastard goes to jail for a long time."

"I never imagined you to manipulate the system, Granger," Malfoy muses.

"I'm not manipulating the system. I'm doing what has to be done in order for justice to be served to the appropriate person."

He smirks. "Mm, it's still manipulation in a way. I'm impressed, Granger. I'll make a Slytherin of you yet."

I roll my eyes. "Don't get your hopes up, Malfoy."

He chuckles. "I never get my hopes up, Granger; standard policy." I shake my head and sigh, looking out the window. As everyone walks by us, I imagine how much simpler their lives must be compared to mine right now. I envy that simplicity sometimes.

"Hey," Malfoy says, pulling me out of my thoughts. I look back to him and see him looking concerned. "You going to be okay?"

"Ask me after the trial," I say, taking a swig of my beer.

* * *

 _ **P.S. Okay, second author's note:**_

 _ **First, thank you David for your example when we PM'd earlier. I hope you don't mind that I stole it and used it in this chapter. You get full credit for that!**_

 _ **Second, Northrup is a sociopath and a pathological liar; of course he could get away with lying to Felix and Lucy for eight years. Also, magic would most likely help him out in tight situations, especially when lying to someone he "cared" about.**_

 _ **Third, as Hermione said, she doesn't have as much leverage with the court system as a muggleborn but as a pureblood, she could have a stronger case, especially with her family behind her. That's why she's going to the trial with her last name as Scamander. She wants to make sure he gets put away for as long as possible.**_

 ** _I hope I answered most of the questions you guys have. If you have anymore, please don't hesitate to message me on here or on Tumblr (link is on profile). Hope you liked it!_**

 ** _Please review!_**


	15. The Trial

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay, guys. I've been teching a show (costumes crew) at my University and my hours have gone from tight to unreasonable. I'm getting home after ten every night this week. *shrugs* Oh well; at least I have three more days and then I'm done.**_

 _ **Anyway, short chapter alert (sorry) but this is necessary in order for the story to move on from here. Thank you all for your kind reviews and I hope you're all doing fabulously.**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 __ **Chapter 14: The Trial**

Rolf, Newt, Tina, and I are sitting in the courtroom in the Ministry waiting for the hearing to start. Because this is a kidnapping case (along with a few other charges) the entire Wizengamot isn't needed and instead, we get a small trial. I'm grateful, honestly; the last thing we need is more publicity, especially on something as personal as this.

The doors open and Northrup is brought in, shackles around his wrists and dressed in the grey jumpsuits Azkaban prisoners wear. I watch him as he's walked to the front of the courtroom, refusing to look away, even as our eyes meet. That stupid smirk is back and I'd love to slap it off him but just then the judge arrives and the trial begins.

I'm normally not a very restless person but I can't stop fidgeting throughout the trial. If I'm not bouncing my leg, I'm picking at my fingernails, and if I'm not doing that, I'm constantly crossing and uncrossing my legs. Gods, I just want this to be over with so I can go home and curl up with Crookshanks.

Newt is called up and then Tina. They share their side of the story of when they got that fateful call from my parents that I was missing. From there, they explain all the things that they did in an attempt to find me. As I listen to them speak, I'm grateful that I won't be called to the stand. Since I don't have any memories of my time before my muggle parents, anything I said would immediately be scratched off the record because it wouldn't help either side of the case.

Rolf is called up to the stand next and recalls his memories over the years in their search for me. As he speaks, he never once takes his eyes off me; in this moment, we are each other's rocks. We need to be as supportive of each other as we can considering the monster we have to call our godfather is sitting less than ten feet away from both of us. Once Rolf is done, he's allowed to sit back down and the final speeches are made.

Northrup's lawyer attempts to make a powerful sermon to the jury but it really just sounds like a bunch of excuses. Our lawyer makes a stronger argument and Rolf and I hold hands as we wait for him to finish. Once he's done and sits back down, the judge releases everyone so that the jury can discuss the verdict amongst themselves, leaving the rest of us to wait until we hear more information.

"How do you feel?" I ask them as we sit in the Ministry commissary drinking coffee and nibbling on muffins.

Tina sighs and leans on Newt. "Exhausted but satisfied. There's no way that Northrup is going to walk out of this a free man; I'm sure of it."

Newt nods in agreement and adds some more sugar to his tea.

"How are you holding up, Rolf?" I ask.

He nods and looks at me. "I agree with Granny; I think we're going to win this."

I nod and sigh. "If we do win this, chances are, he'll only get twenty years. What do we do then?"

Newt shrugs and takes my hand in his. "I can't tell you what will happen then but I can tell you that twenty years without that bastard running around free is something I'm looking forward to. If that's his maximum sentence, then we'll deal with him as the end of it gets closer but until then, let's just rejoice in the idea that he won't be around to hurt us anymore. Not for a long time."

I smile and squeeze his hand, taking Tina's free one in mine. Now's probably not the time to do this but I really don't care. "Granny, Grandad, I'm not sure I've told you this but, before we go back in there, I just want you to know that you are the best grandparents, and brother," I smile at Rolf, "I could ever hope for. I love you guys so much; thank you for being so supportive of me and watching out for me and keeping me sane when I just want to scream."

Granny and Grandad smile at me with tears in their eyes. "You called us Granny and Grandad," Granny smiles.

I laugh and squeeze her hand. "I think it's about time I started to, don't you think?"

They laugh and smile and Rolf pulls me into a tight hug. Our happy moment is broken, sadly, by a court member coming by and telling us that the jury has made a decision.

We clean off our table and walk back to the courtroom, holding our breaths. Once we sit, the judge turns to the jury.

"Council, have you made your decision?" the judge asks.

A dark skinned woman stands and addresses the judge. "We have, Your Honor. The jury finds the defendant guilty of kidnapping, forging documents, and committing crimes related to the Dark Arts such as faking his own death." (Side note: ever since Voldemort, faking your own death has been named a crime since the last person to "fake" their death turned into a psycho killer).

The judge turns back to Northrup. "Jonas Northrup, you are hereby sentenced to twenty years in prison for the charges pressed against you. You will _not_ be allowed to be released before your time is up under _any_ circumstances and you will remain under Ministry watch long after your release. Court is adjourned." The smack of the gavel on the desk echos throughout the entire room as a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

* * *

 ** _P.S. Sorry, again, for the short chapter, but as you can see it was needed._**

 ** _Quick recap for anyone confused: Since Hermione had no memories of being kidnapped as a child, she couldn't go up on the stand because it wouldn't help their case and Northrup's lawyer wouldn't have any evidence to support his case. Therefore, she couldn't go up and speak about what happened because she had no memory of it, and it would've been tossed aside as evidence._**

 ** _Sneak peek into the next chapter: a familiar face shows up (and no, it's not who you think it is)._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	16. Changes

_**A/N: Today's my last day of teching the show. Thank the Lord! Don't get me wrong, I love my major and I've loved hanging out with the costume crew but yeesh! Why the hell did the show have to go up so close to finals?! Why Theatre Department, why?!**_

 ** _Ahem. Anyway, hope your stress levels are lower than mine. Happy Saturday!_**

 ** _Oh, also, smut alert!_**

 ** _Tallyho!  
_**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Changes**

I return home, exhausted but elated. Northrup was taken away to Azkaban and I broke down into tears as soon as we returned back to the Cottage, relief washing through my body like a tidal wave. After I calmed some and all four of us talked, Rolf and I visited our parent's graves and updated them on everything that happened today (Granny and Grandad chose to stay home and rest after such a stressful day). I like to think that, wherever they are, that they're smiling and at peace; especially now that a huge wrong has been righted.

We split after the cemetery, Rolf going to Luna's and me, coming home. Harry's been at work all day so I haven't had the chance to talk to him about what happened but he'll be here soon. In the meantime, I could use a glass of wine, a hot bath, and a good book; in that order.

I pour some wine into a glass then head upstairs to start a bath for myself. When I reach my room, however, I stop in my tracks and nearly drop my glass. There are candles lit all over my room with soft music playing in the background and rose petals _everywhere_. And, of course, standing in the middle of the room with the goofiest grin I've ever seen on his face, is Harry.

I break into a fit of giggles. "Harry, this is so sweet of you."

He walks towards me and kisses me lightly. "I realize the rose petals might be a bit over the top but-"

I cut him off with a light kiss. "They're lovely, Harry. All of this is amazing; you didn't have to do this."

He shrugs. "I know, but you've had a long day and I figured what a better way to wind down than with some romance." He says the last part with a deeper voice and waggles his eyebrows in an attempt to be seductive but it only makes me laugh.

He smiles and takes my hand and leads me into the bathroom where another surprise awaits: a hot bath! Gods, I love this man. "Harry, I think you're officially my favorite person."

He laughs. "Well, I would hope so."

I roll my eyes, put my wine glass on the counter, and take my jumper off and throw it in the general direction of my bedroom before looking back to Harry. "Care to join me?"

He smirks. "I was hoping you'd ask that."

A few minutes later, Harry's giving me a shoulder massage while we both relax in the tub and I explain to him everything that happened during the trial and Northrup's sentence.

"How do you feel now that this is all over?" He asks.

I sigh. "Honestly, I'm glad that he's been put away; now he can't hurt anyone else. I just…"

"You what?"

"I just wish my parents could have been here to see it, you know? I think they're at peace now but… they deserved to have a few last words with Northrup."

"I know the feeling," he says quietly and I lean back into him, wrapping his arms around me. I feel him shrug. "You just have to trust that they know and that they're in peace."

My lip quirks at that. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am," he jokes. "Being friends with you for years has begun to rub off on me." I laugh at that and he kisses my temple. "So, I spoke to Molly today."

"Really?" I say, turning to look at him. "How'd that go?"

He shrugs. "It went well, actually. She apologized for her behavior and invited us over for dinner on Wednesday."

"What did you say?"

"I told her I would forgive her when she apologizes to you. She understood and promised she would do so the first chance she got."

"And about dinner?"

He shrugs again. "I said I'd have to talk to you first."

I sigh and lean my head against his shoulder. "You are more than welcome to go, Harry, but until things get better with Ron, I'm not sure I could face all of the Weasleys."

His hands rub up and down my arms soothingly. "I understand, love. Look at it this way, though: if we patch things up with Molly, maybe we'll be able to start patching things up with Ron, too."

I nod in agreement. "I hope so."

He kisses the top of my head. "The water's getting cold. You ready to get out?"

I nod and he helps me out of the tub before getting out himself and draining the water while I put a robe on and head back into my bedroom. I chuckle at the rose petals on the bed and wipe them off, adding more to the floor as they fall. I hear Harry laugh from behind me and I turn to look at him.

"If you don't like the rose petals, just say so. I can do orchids next time," he jokes.

I laugh and shake my head. "I love the roses. I just don't want to sleep with them!"

He chuckles and helps me wipe the rest of the roses off the bed before flopping down onto the bed, scaring the daylights out of poor Crookshanks in the process who flies out from under the bed and into my closet. We laugh but then Harry pulls me onto the bed, earning a loud "Oof!" from me.

He chuckles and I roll on top of him, straddling his hips with my legs. I run my hands up his chest and he plays with the hem of my robe. He sits up and kiss me softly as his hands run up my body and to the knot that's keeping my robe on. He unties it and slowly slides it off of me until it hits the floor, leaving me completely exposed. Our kissing becomes more frantic as his hands explore my body, starting from my breasts to my clit and back again. I moan as his lips leave mine and leave a trail down my neck and shoulders to my breasts and his fingers massage my clit. I feel his erection from underneath the sweatpants he's wearing and it only turns me on more.

"Harry, I need you," I say in a strained voice.

Thankfully, he doesn't tease me and begins to slide off his sweatpants but I'm impatient and practically rip them off of him before I lay him back down and lower myself onto his length. We both moan at the feeling and we quickly fall into a steady rhythm. He tries to move his hands up my body but I grab them and hold them above his head. "Let me," I say, breathless. Our fingers entwine and I speed up, our moaning getting louder and louder with each thrust. His eyes lock with mine and neither of us look away. The vulnerability I'm feeling by looking into his eyes only strengthens my trust and love for him. When we're getting close, I break the eye contact to kiss him passionately as I ride him hard. A few thrusts later, I'm calling out his name in climax and he follows me shortly after.

We have just enough strength to crawl under the covers and cuddle together, both of us still naked. Neither of us speak; instead we just look at each other and I run my fingers up and down his spine as he plays with my hair. We fall asleep, snuggled together, and more than sated.

* * *

I haven't been to the mall in muggle London in so long, it feels like everything's changed since the last time I was here. Harry and I wanted a night away from our world so we drove to muggle London and decided to catch a movie at the cinema and now we're wandering around the mall, just killing time. It's nice doing something normal for once. My life has been so hectic these last few months, that doing something mundane is more than welcome.

We're sitting at a table in the food court, talking, when I spot something out of the corner of my eye… or should I say some _one_. "Harry, is that who I think it is?" I say.

He follows my line of sight and I hear him gasp. "No way. Dudley?"

"With… is that Cho Chang?"

Sure enough, when both people turn, we get a good look at them and see that it is, indeed, Harry's cousin Dudley holding hands with Cho. What the hell? I glance at Harry who looks just as confused as I feel. "D-did you know tha-"

"No," Harry says, shaking his head. "I haven't talked to the Dursleys in years so I wouldn't know."

Before I can respond, a new voice pipes up. "Harry? Hermione?"

We look and see Cho walking towards us, with Dudley a few feet behind her. I smile and stand to hug her (Side note: even though Harry and Cho dated for a short time at Hogwarts, there's no animosity between us since 1) it was almost ten years ago and 2) Cho and I are pretty good friends. Seems pretty dumb to hold a grudge for something that happened in school, don't you think?). "Hi, Cho! It's good to see you!"

She hugs Harry next before looking at both of us. "It's good to see you guys! What are you doing here?"

"We're just spending sometime in muggle London for fun," I reply. "What about you?"

"Oh, Dudley and I are getting a head start on our Christmas shopping," she smiles. Dudley, who's stayed in the back up until this point, comes up next to Cho and wraps an arm around her. From what I remember Harry telling me about him, he's slimmed down quite a bit and looks more like Harry with the messy hair and loose t-shirt than from the fat primped up pig description Harry used to talk about. "Hello, Harry," he says.

"Hello, Dudley," Harry replies. There's an awkward silence that follows as Cho and I wait to see what happens next. When nothing does, I decide to step in and clear my throat. When Harry looks at me, I raise an eyebrow and he gets the hint. "Oh, Dudley, this is my girlfriend Hermione."

I smile and shake his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dudley." I don't say any of the 'I've heard all about you' or the 'Harry speaks highly of you' lines because I'd be lying. And he would know it.

"You as well, Hermione," he says, giving me a sheepish smile. It's very clear that he's uncomfortable but when Cho leans into him, he relaxes a bit. Huh…

"So how did you two meet?" I ask.

Cho smiles. "Well, as you know I moved to muggle London and attended Cambridge after the war and Hogwarts to get some sense of normalcy in my life again and one day, while I was at the library, I accidentally walked into Dudley and nearly knocked him over. After stumbling through an apology, we began talking about the book that I was holding which turned into a coffee date which turned into more dates and, well, here we are." Dudley smiles at the memory and, by the way he looks at Cho, I can tell he's smitten. I wonder how his parents feel about that…

"You went to Cambridge?" Harry asks with more than skepticism in his voice. I hit him on the shoulder and he rubs it as he fumbles to make up for his "slip." "I mean, you went to Cambridge?! That's great!" Harry says with forced enthusiasm. Cho laughs as I bury my face into my hands, embarrassed.

Thankfully, Dudley doesn't seem to be too offended. "Believe me, I was surprised just as much as you are when I got accepted. But you'll be happy to know I got in solely through my grades and I didn't have to bully anyone into letting me into the school."

"Well, I think we can all agree that stuffing the Dean's head into the toilet wouldn't have gotten you very far," Harry jokes.

Dudley laughs. "No, I only save that particular torture for you."

Harry puts his hand over his heart and mocks sincerity. "Well don't I feel special!"

The two laugh and Cho and I just shake our heads, glad that the boys seem to be getting along. We talk for a while longer, just catching up, and both Harry and I are surprised when they invite us out to dinner tonight but wholeheartedly accept. At the rate that things are going for Harry and Dudley, it'd be good for them to catch up while they can. Who knows when they'll see each other next?

We follow them to a little restaurant in Soho and I poke Harry in the side, to keep him from releasing another snarky comment, when Dudley reveals that he owns the restaurant. It's a very quaint and comfortable little place and I can't help but help compliment Dudley on it. He blushes and thanks me quietly.

"He's still getting used to the praise he's getting for this place," Cho whispers in my ear as the boys catch up with each other. "It took him about a year to get this place running and now that it has, he's very proud of it but also a little shy when he's given the credit."

"Really?" I reply in the same volume. "You'd think he'd be beaming with pride for it."

"He is when we're alone but in the last few years, he's changed quite a lot, making a point to be more humble about a lot of things in his life."

I nod. "So, I assume you know about his and Harry's relationship, or lack thereof, when they were children?"

She nods. "I know it's hard to separate the Dudley you see now from the Dudley you heard about from Harry's stories but he really has grown up since the last time he and Harry saw each other. He's less of a prat and has grown into quite the charming young man."

I smile and squeeze her hand. "Well, I can't speak for Harry because of their track record but he seems to have matured quite a bit from what I used to hear about and I'm happy for you, Cho. You deserve to be happy."

She squeezes my hand back and grins. "Thank you, Hermione. That means a lot to me."

"Has he met your parents?" I ask. She nods. "How'd that go?"

Cho laughs. "He was the perfect gentleman; a nervous wreck the entire time but I think it made my mum like him even more. My dad is taking some time to warm up to him but I think he likes him; he just doesn't want to admit it."

I laugh at that and nod. "As long as they approve, that's the important thing, right?"

She nods but her smile doesn't reach her eyes this time. "Dare I ask if you've met Vernon and Petunia?"

She grimaces and I sigh. "How bad was it?"

"On a scale from one to ten? Eleven." My grip on her hand tightens in support. "Petunia handled it quite well, actually. I could tell that she was uncomfortable but at least she made an effort to be kind. Vernon on the other hand… Well, let's just say that Snape had better manners than Vernon and that's saying something."

I purse my lips and shake my head. "Unbelievable. You'd think he'd stop being so arrogant and hateful of everything that wasn't his version of 'normal.'" I sigh. "I'm sorry, Cho. Hopefully he'll come around, sometime."

She shrugs. "Who's to say what will happen."

We're pulled from our conversation when the waiter comes by and takes our drink orders. The waiter seems a little nervous around Dudley but once he starts joking with him, he relaxes and starts joking right back. We place our drink and food orders with the waiter and then the conversation turns to me as we wait.

I update Cho on everything Scamander related in my life and she translates for Dudley whenever he seems confused about something. Cho grins when I tell her about Luna and Rolf and how Xenophilius has improved over the past few months. When she asks about Ron, we skirt around the topic, not comfortable talking about him during a casual dinner. She seems to get the message that something is up and drops the topic, Merlin love her.

The rest of dinner goes great and by the end, Harry and Dudley have made amends and agree to stay in contact more often. As we get back into the car, I ask Harry if he wouldn't mind running by Diagon Alley really quick so I can grab the order sheet from the bookstore and go over it one more time once we get home. He nods and we chat about our respective conversations with Dudley and Cho on our way there. Turns out, Dudley's been very upset with Vernon since he met Cho and has threatened to not invite them to the wedding (Harry says he's going to propose to her at Christmas). Dudley says that Vernon hasn't come around yet but since Petunia's a blubbering mess at the idea of missing her only son's wedding, chances are, he'll come around.

"It's a shame Dudley had to throw that in their faces to possibly get them to accept his girlfriend," I say, unlocking the shop door.

Harry shrugs. "I agree it's a shame, but I'm not all that surprised. Vernon's always been particularly stubborn, especially about things he doesn't understand. But I know for a fact that he does love Dudley and he could never tell his son 'no.' He'll come around for Dudley's sake; he won't be happy about it and most likely grumble his way through the next few years, but he'll do it for Dudley."

"You think he'll ever warm up to Cho?" I ask, grabbing the sheets I need and walking back out onto the street with Harry after locking the shop back up.

Again, he shrugs. "I don't know. Petunia will; Cho's a sweetheart and has always had excellent manners. All she'll have to do is compliment Petunia a couple times and she'll be putty in her hands. Vernon, I think, will take a little longer but, with time, I think he could learn to tolerate her."

"But do you ever think he'll _like_ her?" I ask, linking my arm with his.

Harry laughs. "Doubtful. As long as magic runs through her veins, he'll always have some sort of resentment towards her."

I grimace and shake my head. "Heaven help any children she and Dudley have; Merlin knows how they'll survive with a grandfather like that."

He laughs and kisses my temple. We walk back to the Leaky Cauldron in a comfortable silence but we're interrupted by someone calling my name. We turn around and see Mrs. Weasley half-running, half-walking towards us. I furrow my brows, wondering what she's doing in Diagon Alley at this hour (until I remember that the twins live here), and look to Harry who shrugs.

"I'm glad I caught you before you left," she says, coming up to us. She looks at me and gives me a small smile. "Hermione, I owe you an apology." My eyebrow raises at that but I don't say anything. She swallows nervously and continues speaking. "It was wrong of me to shut you out like that when you were trying to share happy news with us. I reacted poorly and I simply have no excuse for my behavior other than that I'm not a huge fan of change, as I'm sure you've figured out by now." She takes my hand in hers and squeezes it. "I truly am sorry, my dear. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

It feels like a weight has been lifted off my heart and I fling my arms around her in a tight hug. "Of course, I forgive you, Molly," I say. I know I should still be angry and hurt by her behavior and, in all honesty, I still am a little bit but I'm so done with all this stupid drama. I just want my life to be normal again; or as normal as it can be under the circumstances. If that means I'm forgiving Molly Weasley too easily, well, who cares. Nobody's perfect; but Molly is still a great person and it just feels so great to have her in my life again.

I pull out of the hug and she grins at me, tears forming in her eyes. She turns to Harry next but before she can say anything, he pulls her in for a tight hug as well, telling her that he, too, forgives her. The smile on her face is bigger than I've ever seen on her and I'm glad to know that it's because we're on good terms again. She asks us to brunch at the Burrow on Sunday and we accept, only because we know that Ron is out of town for a Quidditch game. She nods in understanding and doesn't push us to make up with him soon. She knows that patching things up with him will take time and pushing us will only make matters worse.

We hug her once more then leave Diagon Alley feeling far more lighter than we have in weeks.

* * *

"Engaged?!" I say, shocked.

Rolf grins, his eyes shining with happiness. "I asked her last night and she accepted!"

For a solid second, I'm speechless, then next, I tackle my brother. "I'm so happy for you!" I say.

He laughs and hugs me right back. "Thank you, Hermione. That means a lot to me."

I pull back and smile at him. "So, how'd you ask her?" I'm not usually one for knowing all the mushy details but my brother's getting married to one of my dearest friends so who the hell cares!

He smiles and shakes his head. "It wasn't anything super romantic, sadly. I wanted to have this whole thing planned with roses and a nice dinner or maybe I'd propose on Christmas or even New Year's but then we were just talking last night as we laid in bed and it just slipped out." He laughs at the memory. "Gods, I felt like such an idiot, I kept fumbling through the damn proposal to the point that I nearly dropped the ring _twice_!" I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing so hard. "Eventually, I got the words out and she accepted." He squeezes my hand. "I- I gave her mum's ring. I wanted her to have something that meant a lot to me and, well, mum was an amazing woman. It only seemed fair to give it to the other amazing woman in my life; next to you, of course."

I smile and nod in understanding. "That's so sweet Rolf. I know our mum would be honored to give her ring to Luna."

He smiles and pulls me into a tight hug. "Now, if only we could get Harry to propose to you, I'd be happy, knowing that you'll be taken care of."

I laugh and push him off me. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much." He smirks and I roll my eyes. "And it's too soon for Harry and I. I know that we're 'it' for each other, but that doesn't mean that we're ready to take it to marriage just yet."

He nods, chuckling. "Well, if and when he proposes, he better get mine and granddad's permission first!"

I laugh. "He will. But you'd need to take the ward off the contract, wouldn't you?"

He shakes his head. "Not unless Harry's looking for a marriage contract."

"If he does, I'll hex his important parts off," I say, causing Rolf to laugh and he wraps me in a bear hug. "Thank you for being so supportive," he says.

"Hey, what are sisters for?" I smirk.

* * *

Christmas Eve. Granny and Grandad threw a Christmas/Engagement party at the Cottage, inviting many of their friends to celebrate Rolf and Luna's engagement. I finally got a good look at our mum's ring as Luna and I got ready together earlier in the night: several small diamonds line the white gold band leading up to a gorgeous sapphire sitting in the center of the ring. It's absolutely beautiful and so _Luna_ ; I can understand why Rolf wanted to give it to her.

Luna's been so adorable during this whole thing: it's clear she is just as in love with Rolf as he is with her and I've never seen her smile so much or so _wide_ in, well, ever. She's _giddy_ and hasn't left Rolf's side since we arrived to the cottage. Xenophilius is happy at their union and looks like he's started to gain some weight back since I last saw him. I smile at that, glad that he's getting better.

Arthur, Molly, the twins, and Ginny are all here along with Neville, Joanna, and Fred's girlfriend, Angelina. Bill and Fleur chose to stay at home and babysit Victorie and Teddy, Charlie's back in Romania, Percy's working on a new proposal for the Ministry, and Ron… well, he's not here.

I shrug that off quickly, though, not wanting to focus on that tonight. Tonight's about my brother and Luna and I couldn't be happier for them.

Harry wraps an arm around my shoulder and kisses my temple, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Hey," I smile.

"Hey," he says. "Enjoying yourself?"

I nod and look back to where Rolf and Luna are talking with a dark-skinned man I don't recognize. "I'm happy for them," I say. "And I'm glad I introduced them. He doesn't just accept her quirks, he understands them and she encourages his passion about strange creatures and his research. They make each other happy; what more could I want?" I say, looking back at Harry.

He smiles in response and kisses me. We're not kissing for long before we hear: "Blegh! Can't you do that on your own time?"

We break apart to find Rolf walking towards us, a disgusted look on his face. I scrunch my nose at him. "You're one to complain; the second we arrived, you and Luna were practically sucking each other's faces off!"

He blushes. "We were not!"

"Were too!" I argue.

"Were _not_!"

"Oh, sweet Merlin, would you two knock it off?!" Granny says from nearby. "I swear, it's like when you two were toddlers all over again!"

Harry busts out laughing as Rolf and I blush and mutter an apology to our grandmother. Granny rolls her eyes and wanders off with Molly, talking about who knows what. Rolf clears his throat and beckons to the man he was talking to earlier. "Hermione, Harry, there's someone I want you to meet." He claps his hand over the man's shoulder and smiles. "This is my best friend from America and my best man for the wedding, Blake Wilder. Blake, this is Harry Potter and my sister Hermione."

Blake smiles and has a mischievous twinkle in his eye that suggests he's up to no good. Something tells me we do _not_ want Blake to spend time with the Weasley twins. "Pleasure to meet you, Blake," I say.

"Likewise," he says. "Tina was right; you do look like your mother. And I think I even see some Rolf in there too."

Rolf laughs at that. "Of course she looks like me! I was the prototype!"

I scoff. "Please; you were the rough draft. I'm the final copy!"

Blake and Harry laugh as Rolf tackles me and starts to tickle me as he tries to get me to take it back. I refuse and try to fight him off all to no avail while Blake and Harry watch in amusement.

"Didn't I just tell you two to- oh, for Merlin's sake! Rolf, put your sister down!" Granny says, coming over.

"She started it!" Rolf argues, as he continues to hold me up in the air.

"What? No I didn't! You did!" I argue back.

Grandad laughs at the sight and puts his arm around Granny, who sighs in exasperation. "Heaven help the both of you when you have children; if they're anything like you two, you're going to be running for your money."

I roll my eyes and wiggle my way free from Rolf's grip. When my feet hit the floor, I turn back to my brother and stick my tongue out at him; a gesture he returns.

Granny sighs and chuckles to herself. "A pair of overgrown children, I swear," she mutters to herself, walking away; Grandad winks at us and follows her. While Rolf and I continue to make stupid faces at each other Blake and Harry start talking.

"So, _the_ Harry Potter, huh?"

"Oh, so you've heard of me?" Harry asks, smirking.

Blake laughs. "Everyone's heard of you, man. You're kind of a legend for flying out of Gringotts on the back of a dragon."

Harry laughs and I groan. "Of course, of all things you would be known for, it would be _that_!"

"Well, you have to admit, it was pretty cool!" Harry argued.

I stare at him incredulously. "Are you kidding?! It was terrifying. I am never doing that again!"

Blake laughs and shakes his head. "Well, be that as it may, not many people these days have ridden a dragon and lived to tell the tale. That's pretty impressive. Although, I admit, I am a little bummed that the stories seemed to have gotten something wrong."

Harry furrows his brows. "Oh really? And what's that?"

"I always assumed you'd be taller," he says.

Rolf and I bust out laughing and have to lean on each other to keep from falling over.

* * *

 ** _P.S. Luna's ring and Facecast for Blake are on Pinterest._**

 ** _Before anyone tries to correct me, Soho is in the West End (London). I am (obviously) not talking about the one in New York._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	17. Wedding Plans and Apologies

_**A/N: Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for...**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Wedding Plans and Apologies**

With the start of the new year, comes the wedding planning. For Merlin knows what reason, Rolf and Luna decided to have the wedding in April, giving us _four_ months to plan an entire wedding! Thankfully, both have very simple tastes and are more focused on getting married than the wedding itself.

Tina has taken on the job of wedding planner, since she has the most free time. Xenophilius is going to be the photographer at the wedding and, along with his co-editor (who will be taking photos when Xenophilius is with his daughter), the only person who's involved with the press who will be invited to the wedding. The wedding party is going to be small; Blake and Harry will be the groomsmen while Ginny and I are going to be the bridesmaids. As for wedding guests, the entire Weasley family will be invited (including all of their significant others), Neville and his grandmother, Joanna and her parents, some of Granny and Grandad's friends from America, and a few former classmates from Hogwarts and Ilvermorny. Overall, I think it's just under a hundred people who are coming. With the guest list taken care of, Granny's been able to focus on everything else: flowers, music, location, etc.

Except today. Granny and Grandad took the week off to visit some friends in America, leaving me to go dress shopping with Luna since Ginny's _also_ out of town for a game. Don't get me wrong, I love Luna and I don't mind shopping as much as I used to; I just think that Ginny is a better judge at this stuff than I am but I'll do the best I can.

Luna, true to her unique style, has decided that she does _not_ want to wear a traditional wedding robe for her wedding and instead wants to experiment with some muggle dresses and see if anything jumps out at her. The first store we've tried has had a few hits but nothing that Luna is too crazy about.

"Would it possible if we just scanned the racks by ourselves for a little bit?" I ask the consultant.

She smiles warmly and nods. "Of course; whenever you've found something you like, just bring it back to me and I'll help you try it on."

We thank her and start to wander the racks, talking quietly to ourselves.

"How are you holding up, Luna?" I ask.

"I'm well, Hermione, thank you," she replies.

"Are you overwhelmed with anything in regards to the wedding?"

She smiles and shakes her head. "No, I'm quite alright; your grandmother has been very helpful. I'll have to be sure to send her a thoughtful 'Thank You' note when this is all done."

I smile at her. "You know, Luna, you're probably the calmest bride I've ever seen."

She shrugs. "It just seems silly to me to fret over something that only lasts one day. Yes, it's a great way to express your love for someone and share it with those closest to you but, at the end of the day, it's not about the wedding; it's about the marriage. My mother and father had a very small wedding and were always happily married until poor Mama's untimely death. I feel that if you put less effort into the wedding and more effort into the marriage, it will help both of you in the long run."

"Well said, Luna," I agree. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

She smiles and pulls a yellow gown (I told you she was being unconventional) off the rack and shows it to me. I nod in approval and we add it to our small pile. "I think you and Harry will have a similar marriage," she muses as we continue to scan the dresses.

I chuckle. "That's sweet of you, Luna, but Harry and I aren't engaged."

"Yet," she says.

I roll my eyes, not bothering to argue with her. Harry and I have talked about it a little and agree that neither of us is going anywhere. That being said, we're not going to rush into marriage. We just moved in together a couple weeks ago and we're still navigating our way around each other now that we're sharing the same space at the same time. Once we get past that, without killing each other, then _maybe_ we'll start thinking about marriage more seriously; but for now, I'm happy just the way we are.

Luna gasps and pulls me out of my thoughts as she pulls a dress of the rack and shows it to me. "It's beautiful, Luna," I smile. "Want to try it on?"

She smiles and nods; we take it back to the consultant and she takes Luna and the few dresses that we grabbed back into the dressing room while I wait outside. A few minutes later, she walks out and in an instant, we both know it's the one. It's fitted at the torso then flows out at the waist and is covered in beautiful blue flowers. Luna's grinning from ear to ear and tells the consultant to stop looking; she's found her dress.

Fifteen minutes later, the wedding dress is bought, one more thing off the checklist is done, and we're off to lunch. While we eat, we discuss more wedding plans, my bookshop, and I confide a secret with Luna.

"I'm thinking of writing a book," I say.

She raises her eyebrows. "Really? What about?"

"Well," I hesitate, "about me."

"You want to write an autobiography?"

I nod. "I know it sounds strange, coming from the one person who really can't stand publicity but I've just been inspired lately, you know?"

She nods. "What brought this on?"

I go into my bag and pull out my journal and explain to Luna what it holds and why I still have it. "Despite all the lies that it holds, I still carry it around because… well, it's a part of me. And I've decided I'm not going to burn it after all. Instead, I'm going to use it as a reference for my book. And, once it's published, I'm going to keep the journal and the book together to remind myself of how far I've come and that things always get better," I say.

"Hermione, I think that's brilliant."

"Really?" I ask.

She nods. "You have such an interesting story; I think it would be revolutionary for the world to discover what it's like to transition from the Muggle-Born war heroine everyone knows to the Pureblood granddaughter of one of Britain's most prominent wizards while staying true to her roots. You'd sell more books than Skeeter's biography on Dumbledore!"

I laugh. "One can only hope," I say. I trace the bent marks on the journal cover with my finger. It feels weird to think about telling my story but, I think this will help me with trying to find closure; especially for the things that are out of my control (like my entire life flipping upside down). Somehow, the idea of writing this book, just seems like the right thing to do.

Luna puts her hand over mine and squeezes. "Hermione, I think this book idea is great. I think you should go through with it."

I smile and squeeze her hand back. "I think I will."

* * *

After Luna's encouragement (and of course the encouragement of Harry and my family), I've started writing my book, starting from my Muggle-born years as they were the first I remember. I'll touch on my childhood with the Scamanders later once I get there; but that won't be until Part II of my book. Part I is of my childhood with my muggle parents, my years at Hogwarts, and the war. Once all that's over, I'll start on Part II when I discovered I was adopted. But I'm getting ahead of myself; first, I need to finish explaining what a dentist is (yes, it's still an odd career here in the Wizarding World).

I'm sitting in the living room writing my story out as Harry watches a movie on the telly when the doorbell rings. Harry pauses the movie then gets up and answers the door while I continue to write. I hear muffled voices in the hallway but don't think anything of it; that is, I hear two sets of footsteps walking back into the living room and Harry clears his throat.

I look up and nearly drop everything as I see Harry standing in the doorway with Ron sheepishly standing next to him. "Harry, what-"

"Before you kick me out, will you at least let me explain myself?" Ron says.

I look to Harry who shrugs. "He said he wanted to tell us something."

I hesitate for a moment before putting my work on the coffee table and crossing my arms as I lean against the back of the couch. Harry walks over and sits next to me, putting a comforting hand on my knee. I look to the chair across the way then back to Ron; he gets the message and sits down.

"I'm listening," I say, impatiently.

He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry," he says. "I was wrong to say those things." Harry and I look to each other but don't say anything. "I don't have an explanation for why I reacted the way I did except that… well, I suppose I just felt like I'd come in second once again; which is dumb, I know, because there was nothing to come in second to. I think I just got jealous after seeing this constant connection between you two and seeing it become more just set me off because that's not something I've ever had with anyone; or, so I thought. I realize now that I had that with Joanna; but of course I went and blew that too."

He sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "I've been a rotten friend to you both and I completely understand if neither of you ever want to see me again after this. But, I just wanted both of you to know that I didn't mean any of the things I said; especially to you, Hermione. You've always been a good friend to me and I treated you like utter shit. You didn't deserve that. Neither of you did. I am so, so sorry."

Harry sighs. "Ron, you're my best mate. You have been since that first day on the train on the way to Hogwarts; and you'll always be like a brother to me. But… I've also had a lot of time to think about this. And I've come to the conclusion that something has to change, Ron. You can't keep exploding whenever something big happens. It's not healthy and it hurts everyone around you _and_ yourself."

He nods. "I know; Coach brought in a mind healer, or therapist as Hermione called them, about a month ago to help us get past our fears of what might be holding us back in our games. I ended up telling him about what happened between us and he's been helping me find better ways to control my anger. It's been working."

"I'm glad to hear that," Harry says, smiling a little. "Ron, if you can promise me that something like this won't happen ever again, I'm willing to forgive you."

Ron gives him a small smile. "I'll do the best I can to make good on that promise, mate."

Harry's smile grows and he stands to hug Ron. Ron returns the hug wholeheartedly and some of the tension I've been holding in releases. At least that's been settled… sort of.

The boys break from the hug and look at me. "Hermione?" Ron asks, timidly. "Do you think you might be able to forgive me? If not now, then maybe someday."

I look to Harry who gives me the ' _It's up to you_ ' look. I think for a second before looking back to Ron. "Ron, when we broke up, it was ugly; I was alone, I was heartbroken, and I feared that I had lost one of my best friends. That was until you and I talked and decided that we cared about each other too much to lose our friendship over a _very_ bad fight. I thought that was the last time we'd hurt each other; I thought we had an understanding. I realize, now, that perhaps that had been a bit naïve of me to think as you and I are both very headstrong and are bound to argue; it's just been a part of who you and I have always been.

"But after this last one, I felt like we couldn't recover from that. I truly felt like I had lost one of my best friends; hell, I _did_ tell you that I was done. But as I've thought about it, I realize that I don't want to cut you off. You deserve it, you _really_ deserve it; but it was also wrong of me to hide something that important from you. I was selfish and wanted to keep Harry to myself, from the press _and_ from friends and family. Should we have told you right off the bat? Probably. Was your reaction reasonable? Hell no. But we are human, and we make mistakes. The important thing is that we learn from those mistakes.

"I want to forgive you, Ron, I do. But, just like trust, forgiveness is earned; and you haven't earned it yet. If you want to earn my forgiveness, you must earn Joanna's forgiveness. She had no part in this and yet you tore her apart in a moment of anger. _That,_ to me, is unacceptable. If anything, she deserves the biggest apology of all. If you can earn her forgiveness, you will earn mine. That is to say, I don't want you to earn her forgiveness just so I'll forgive you. I want you to earn her forgiveness because you _want_ her forgiveness. And you do, don't you?"

He nods. "Yes, I do."

"Then I believe we understand each other," I say.

* * *

 ** _P.S. Luna's wedding dress in on Pinterest._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	18. Interlude

_**A/N: You guys, I'm so happy! My theatre history paper (which is probably the biggest final assignment I have NOT including finals) is done a week and a half early! I feel like I can breathe a little easier now because all the hard stuff is done. *Jumps up and down in excitement***_

 ** _*clears throat* Anyway, hope your Monday is going well. This chapter is incredibly short (hence the title Interlude). Sorry not sorry._**

 ** _Tallyho!_**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Interlude**

"So, Ron came to see me last night," Joanna says at lunch.

"Did he?" I say. Shit; that was fast. Ron had to leave for a Quidditch match in Germany right after he apologized to me and Harry so he didn't have a chance to see Joanna before then. I knew he got back a couple days ago but I didn't expect him to go to her so soon. Maybe that therapist of his is doing more good than I expected. "What did he want?" I ask.

She shrugs. "He wanted to apologize."

"Did you let him?"

"I heard what he had to say," she says.

"Which was?"

"Most of it was just consistent apologizing and self-deprecation. He tried to explain himself but also acknowledged that his excuses were shit. He said he hoped I could forgive him."

"Did you?"

Again, she shrugs. "I told him I'd think about it."

I smirk. "Atta girl." She chuckles and nods in agreement. "Can you do me a favor?" I ask.

"Forgive him?" She asks.

"No; do good on that promise of thinking about it; I told him if he could earn your forgiveness, he'd earn mine and I think making him sweat for a while would do him some good."

Joanna laughs and nods. "I love the way you think."

I shrug. "Most people do; I'm not called the Brightest Witch of My Age for nothing!"

She laughs again I smile, relieved. Even if Joanna and I haven't forgiven Ron completely yet, he's at least apologized to both of us. That's a very good start and I think, with time, we could both forgive him completely.

* * *

 ** _Please review!_**


	19. Mr and Mrs Scamander

_**A/N: So... I've had multiple reviewers say something along the lines of "Ron would probably do what Northrup did to Harry and Hermione's kids..."**_ _ **While I think in another story, in another universe, that could be a good plot twist, that's not going to happen here. Ron's acting the way he is because that's what we've seen in canon. I tried to make his reaction as close to what it would be in canon. Canon Ron wouldn't do something like that and Ron in this story won't either.**_

 _ **However, if that's a story you guys would like to see, then I highly encourage you to write it! And, please, let me know once you have because I'd love to read that.**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Mr. and Mrs. Scamander**

April has arrived and, with it, so has the wedding!

Luna and Rolf decided to hold the ceremony and reception at Scamander Cottage, simply because Granny's garden is too beautiful to pass up. Once the location was set at the Cottage, everything else fell into place.

We kicked the boys (including Grandad) out of the Cottage this morning and sent them to Rolf and Luna's place (she still has her living space at the Sanctuary but moved in with Rolf full time just after they got engaged) while Granny, Ginny, Luna, Joanna, and I all get ready at the Cottage. While Joanna isn't a bridesmaid, she's still a very good friend to us so she's an honorary member of the 'Getting Ready Party' at the Cottage (Ginny's words, not mine).

I pull out Luna's gown from the closet and Ginny and Joanna swoon over how beautiful it is; then I pull out the bridesmaids dresses and Ginny nearly has a heart attack. "Oh my sweet Merlin's beard, those are _gorgeous!_ Where did you find them?!"

Luna laughs. "Hermione and I found them at a vintage dress shop in Muggle London when we went dress shopping; fortunately, the store had two of the same dress and we bought them on the spot."

I fan out the skirt to keep it from wrinkling. It's a mint green tea length dress with three quarter sleeves and gives off a 1950's or even 60's vibe. While unconventional to some, it's very Luna and I couldn't imagine anything better for her wedding.

After the dresses are laid out, we get to work on doing each other's hair and makeup while the radio plays in the background and Granny tells us stories of hers and Grandad's wedding day. We all nearly fall over laughing when Granny tells us how her sister tripped and knocked both herself _and_ Grandad over into the lake nearby. Instead of helping them out, Granny jumped in right after them, trashing her dress, but laughing all the same.

"It was more than interesting trying to dance when we were absolutely drenched!" She says.

"Why didn't you just use a drying charm?" Ginny asks.

Granny chuckles. "We were all more than a little tipsy. Trying to use a wand at that time would _not_ have ended well."

"Duly noted," Ginny says, smirking.

"Alright, you're all set," Joanna says. We look over and grin as we Luna's hair is done into a messy braid that falls over her shoulder with feathers entwined in it and a crown of white orchids and blue forget-me-nots sits on her head. "Luna, you look beautiful," I say.

"Yeah," Ginny agrees. "You're like the Flower Princess Fairy of the Woods." Luna, Granny, and Joanna laugh while I look at Ginny confused. She simply shrugs. "Seemed like a fair assessment," she says. I laugh and shake my head before switching spots with Luna and start on my own hair while Granny does Luna's makeup.

An hour and a half later, we're all dressed and ready to go. Ginny and I both pinned our hair up with a few strands falling loose around our faces and slip the dresses on, Joanna left her hair down and is wearing a very pretty sleeveless dark blue dress with flower designs going down the side of the bust and stops just at the top of the hips, and Granny put her hair in a french twist and is wearing traditional wizard robes. All that's left now is to help Luna get her dress on.

Tina, Ginny, and Joanna all leave the room to check on any last minute details and to start greeting the guests, leaving me to help Luna into her dress. Usually, this is the maid of honor's job but Luna asked me to do it instead and, well, I couldn't turn down my soon-to-be sister.

Once Luna's in the dress, I start to tear up. Ginny was right; she _does_ look like a woodland-fairy-princess-whatever. "Gods, Luna, you look beautiful. Rolf might faint when he sees you."

She smiles. "Well, I certainly hope not as that would make the ceremony more difficult."

I laugh and nod. "Yes, yes it would." I take her hands in mine and squeeze them. "Luna, I know we didn't always get along in the beginning because I was too stubborn and logical to listen to you but I just want you to know that I am so happy for you and Rolf and," I take a deep breath to keep from crying, "I'm really glad you're going to be my sister."

Luna grins and I see tears welling up in her eyes as well. "And I promised myself I wouldn't cry," she says.

I laugh and pull her into a tight hug which she returns wholeheartedly. The hug is short lived, however, when someone knocks at the door and Xenophilius pokes his head in. "We're ready, pumpkin."

I squeeze her hand and smile at Xenophilius as I walk downstairs and meet Ginny by the door. I'm about to ask where the flowers are when two bouquets of the same flowers on Luna's head appear in front of us. We look up to see Harry and Blake grinning like idiots at us.

Ginny laughs and takes the bouquet from Blake, plucks a flower from it and hands it back to him, with a dramatic bow. Blake laughs. "For _me_?! How thoughtful!" He says in a falsetto tone, causing Ginny to double over in laughter. I roll my eyes and take the bouquet from Harry, kissing him in thanks.

"Now _that_ is a 'thank you!'" Blake says, interrupting us. We look at him to see the flower Ginny gave him is resting behind his ear and he still has that stupid grin on his face. "Next time I do Alex a favor, if he doesn't kiss me like that, I'm going to be very put out!" (Side note: Alex is Blake's partner and works in the sports department of the American Ministry).

"Oh, shut up!" I say, laughing.

"Where is your boy, anyway?" Ginny asks.

Blake shrugs. "Off in India recruiting potential Quidditch players."

Of course, all three begin to talk about Quidditch but, fortunately, I'm saved by Granny coming over and telling us that we're ready to start. Blake and Ginny link arms and I can still hear them whispering about Quidditch but I just roll my eyes. Some things never change.

* * *

You know your brother's found his perfect match when she dances just as ridiculously as he does. I kid you not, Rolf and Luna are currently on the dance floor doing something that looks like the funky chicken on steroids. It is the funniest thing I've ever seen and Ginny and I are laughing so hard, we have tears in our eyes.

Except for the trainwreck that is my brother and sister-in-law on the dance floor, the reception is going off without a hitch. Tina really outdid herself; I think she missed her calling as a wedding planner. She even included feathers with the centerpieces on the tables so that the Gastrepubs stay away. I think I saw Luna wipe away a tear when she saw that.

Finally, Luna and Rolf's bizarre yet hilarious dancing is done and Rolf pulls her close to him and they start to dance normally to the music. Neville comes over and asks Ginny for a dance, which she accepts wholeheartedly, and they wander off to the dance floor. I look over to Harry and see that he's wrapped up in a conversation with Ron- which looks to be going well- so I decide to leave them be for the time being and turn my attention to Blake who's smiling as he watches Rolf and Luna dance. "Enjoying yourself?" I ask.

He looks at me and nods. "Yeah; I'm glad to see him happy. He's been depressed for as long as I've known him. It's good to see that he's finally happy. Thank you for introducing them."

I smile and nod. "They would meet either way, as Luna's a dear friend of mine from Hogwarts but I'm glad I introduced them when I did. I knew they'd like each other from the get go; I'm just glad that they found more within each other. They're going to do great things."

He smirks. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"What great things are _you_ going to do? All Scamanders do great things, you know."

I laugh. "Oh really? Is that our family motto?"

He shakes his head. "Nah; I don't even think you _have_ a family motto."

"Sure we do!" I say. "It's… er- okay, so we don't have a family motto," I shrug and Blake starts laughing. I shake my head and chuckle, more at Blake than at myself. When he finally calms down, I speak again. "To answer your question, though, I've already done some great things! I helped win a war!" He smiles and nods in confirmation. "I graduated at the top of my class at Hogwarts, I'm known as the brightest witch of my age, _and_ I'm going to write a book!"

He raises his eyebrows. "Ah, another author in the family. What's the book about? Comparing your grandfather's work to your dad's?"

"Sadly, no. While I'd love to do that, I haven't had nearly as much time to look into both of their research as I would like. Maybe that will be the next one. Right now, my book is an autobiography."

"Ah," he says. "Now _that_ is an interesting story. I hope you'll get me an early copy once it's published to show off to all of mine and Rolf's old classmates!"

I laugh and nod. "Deal."

We're interrupted by someone clearing their throat and we look to see Harry smiling at us. "Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if I could steal my girlfriend away for a dance?"

"By all means, my friend!" Blake says. "Just as long as she promises me a dance later on."

I laugh and nod, taking Harry's hand. "You'll get your dance, Blake, don't worry."

Harry leads me to the dance floor and wraps me in his arms as we sway to the music. He's still not the best dancer but he's improved since his disaster at the Yule Ball in fourth year.

"How'd your conversation with Ron go?" I ask.

"Good; he's still seeing that therapist and he's finally getting over his whole issue of feeling second best. He's really coming around."

"Good," I smile. "I'm glad he's growing up more." And I am. Ron's a good person, I don't doubt that; but he's always been a little immature. It's time he grows up a little.

"You ready to forgive him, yet?" Harry asks.

I look over his shoulder and see Ron and Joanna dancing together. They're talking but she's smiling and seems really relaxed with him. By the looks of things, it's going really well; which means she's going to forgive him soon, if she hasn't already. "Let me see how tonight goes with him and Joanna. If it goes well, then I'll forgive him," I say, looking back to Harry.

"But are you _ready_ to forgive him?" He asks. "Do you want to forgive him or are you just doing it because Joanna has?"

"I already have forgiven him, Harry;" I say, "I did the night he apologized. But I'm making him wait because he has to know that I'm not going to forgive and forget like I've done in the past. By making him wait, it ensured that he apologized to the person who deserved it most and it makes him realize that he can't just do or say whatever he wants just because it's the heat of the moment and then get away with it. He had to learn a lesson and that was the best way to teach it to him."

"But you do forgive him? We can all be friends again?" He asks, hopefully.

I smile. "Of course, Harry. And as soon as I know that things are okay with Ron and Joanna, I'll let him know that I forgive him."

Harry sighs in relief and smiles. "Thank you, love."

I step on my toes and kiss him lightly. He twirls me on the dance floor for a while before Rolf cuts in and dances with me while Harry dances with Granny. After a while, Blake cuts in and twirls me around the dance floor, keeping me laughing the whole time as he cracks jokes about my brother. Just when I think I'm free from dancing, Ron steps in front of me.

"May I have the next dance?" He asks, sheepishly.

I want to say no because my feet are killing me but he looks like he wants to talk so I accept. Once we're on the dance floor, we move around in small circles in silence. I can see Ron's struggling to speak; he always did struggle to put the right words together when emotions were involved.

"How did it go with Joanna?" I ask, helping him along.

"It went well," he says, smiling, "She, er, she agreed to give me a second chance."

I smile at that. I always knew that she would; she and Ron are perfect for each other. They're both headstrong but where he falters, she picks him up and whenever she's upset, he's always there to make her laugh. Sure, they clash at times but I think that's what draws them to each other more. "I'm glad, Ron," I say. And I am. Hopefully they'll be able to work through this whole fiasco and come out stronger than ever.

"Thank you, Hermione." His smile falls a little. "I really am sorry, you know. I know it probably doesn't mean much but I miss you. We might butt heads a lot but we always managed to make each other laugh and we were always there for each other in the end. I hope we can get back to that point someday."

I squeeze his arm. "We will," I say with confidence. "I forgive you Ron; I did the day you came by and apologized. I just waited to tell you because I wanted you to see that you can't just apologize and hope that everything will get better on it's own."

He nods. "I know and I'm working on making things better."

"I'm proud of you, Ron," I say. "And I know that, with time, we'll get back to the way we were."

His eyes light up. "Really?"

"Of course! You're my best friend, Ron; you don't just throw away years of friendship over one or two bad fights. And besides, we're the only two people who can keep Harry in line. We have to be on each other's side when he decides to do something reckless and stupid."

Ron laughs and I feel some tension leave my body. "Well, he _did_ save the world; I think he's allowed to be a little reckless."

"He saved the world with _our_ help! As far as I'm concerned, the only reckless and stupid thing he's doing anytime soon is eating too much Bertie Bott's."

He laughs again and nods. "Better him than me!" I roll my eyes and punch him on the shoulder. "Hey, easy! I have a game next week!" I laugh and shrug. "Hey, for what it's worth," he begins, "I'm glad it's you. You two are really good for each other."

I smile. "Thank you, Ron. That means a lot to me."

I pull him into a tight hug and he returns it wholeheartedly.

* * *

 ** _P.S. Okay, quick recap just so everyone understands the timeline: When Ron apologized to H/Hr, it was early to mid-January; when he apologized to Joanna, it was early February. This chapter takes place in April. So there has been some time that's passed since Ron has apologized. It's been enough for Hermione and Joanna to think everything over and forgive him. I just wanna clear that up so no one thinks that they forgave him too fast._**

 ** _The bridesmaid dresses and Joanna's dress are on the BOL Pinterest board._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	20. Echo Publishing Co

_**A/N: Almost forgot to post a chapter today... oops! Also, another short chapter. Sorry, guys (they always look so much longer on Google Docs)! However, it is an interesting chapter so I hope that makes up for it's shortness.**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Echo Publishing Co.**

 **Four Months Later**

Had someone told me that I would write (and edit) an entire book in less than a year, I would have laughed and called St. Mungo's to let them know the whereabouts of their next patient. But I did it. I actually finished my book in less than a year; six months and twenty one days to be exact!

Currently, I'm sitting in the waiting room of Echo Publishing Co. waiting for a meeting with the head publisher. I sent in my book about two weeks ago and got an owl from them yesterday asking me to come in at eleven for a meeting. So, here I am…

"Miss Granger?" The secretary calls. "Mr. Montgomery is ready for you."

I take a deep breath and walk into Leo Montgomery's office. He's an older gentleman with light hair and equally light blue eyes. He has a permanent smirk on his face that reminds me of Malfoy and a gleam in his eye that could either mean I'm in trouble or I'm going to be an author. Please, gods, let it be the latter.

"Have a seat, Miss… well, I'm not sure what exactly I should call you," he says.

"Hermione's fine," I smile, taking a seat across his desk.

"Hermione then," he says. "I have to say that you're book is quite unlike anything I've ever read before; you've had a very interesting life."

I will myself not to blush. "Well, when you're friends with Harry Potter, normal doesn't ever really cut it."

"So you said in your book," he says. His smirk grows and he leans forward. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here: I want to have it published."

My heart starts pounding. "You do?"

He nods. "Yes; from the moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. You have quite the gift for keeping your audience's attention. And a story like yours only happens once in a lifetime. This isn't an opportunity I'm going to pass up." He pulls out a contract from his desk and places it on table. "Now, why don't we talk numbers?"

* * *

Two hours later, I leave the office as a soon-to-be published author. Leo (he insisted that I call him by his first name) wants to get this published as soon as he can and since I already did a massive editing job on the book, that will save them some time (they're still going to edit it one more time but it will be for spelling/grammar mistakes more than anything). We're hoping we can get it published by Christmas.

Feeling more giddy than I have in I don't know how long, I Apparate to the Cottage to tell my grandparents the good news. When I arrive, however, I'm startled to find that Harry, Rolf, Luna, Ginny, Neville, and even Ron and Joanna are sitting in the living room talking amongst each other.

"What's going on here?" I ask, confused.

Everyone stops and looks at me and Granny stands up, smiling. "We all wanted to hear how your meeting went. We figured that no matter the outcome, we'd be here to support you."

I smile at that. "You guys, that's so thoughtful. Thank you."

"Oh, enough will the sappy stuff!" Ginny says. "How did your meeting go? What did he say?!"

I bite my lip to keep from grinning but I can't hold it off for long. "I'm going to be an author!"

The squeals that emit from Ginny and Joanna are nearly deafening but I barely have time to focus on that before I'm caught in a bear hug between the two girls. The hug quickly turns into jumping up and down like schoolgirls but, despite the fact that we look ridiculous, I really don't care.

I break from the hug only to wrap Luna in another bear hug then be hugged by everyone else in the room. By the time I reach Harry, I'm so excited, I practically tackle him. He laughs and spins me around before kissing me. When we break, he wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly as everyone begins to ask me questions.

"When's the estimated publication date?" Neville asks.

"We're hoping to have it out by Christmas. Leo said he'd send it to editing as soon as our meeting ended. I should hear from them in about a month or so to go back in and discuss possible titles."

"Leo? You're on a first name basis with Leo Montgomery?" Joanna asks.

I laugh at her shocked expression and nod. "He insisted that I call him by his first name."

Joanna stares at me with her jaw slack and I try to resist laughing but I break and giggle anyway when Luna closes her mouth shut. "You'll catch a nargle in your mouth if you do that," she says.

The rest of us bust out into laughter.

* * *

 ** _P._ _S._ _Toldya, it'd be a good chapter._**

 ** _Facecast for Leo Montgomery is on Pinterest. Please review!_**


	21. Home

_**A/N: Alright you guys, I have some very exciting news: after two weeks of stressing about whether or not I'd need to take an extra semester to graduate, my university pulled through and moved a class that I need to graduate to a different time. Therefore, *drumroll* I'M GRADUATING NEXT SPRING! I'm so excited because I will be graduating within four years and NO STUDENT LOANS! I seriously might cry, I'm so happy! i just had to share that exciting news with you guys!**_

 _ **Anyway, thank you guys for all your kind reviews. I'm sorry I haven't been responding to them, school's been taking up all my time and by the time I get home every night I'm too exhausted to even open up my computer. Once the semester's over, it should be better. Much love to you guys!**_

 ** _Also, another timeline update: this takes place between late September/early-October._**

 _ **Tallyho!  
**_

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Home**

"Harry, where are you taking me?"

"It's a secret!" He says. "You'll find out soon, I promise."

I roll my blindfolded eyes and let him lead me through God knows what. We're on a road, that much I know, and there's the smell of flowers… I think it's lavender and roses and… lilac?

"Okay, we're here," Harry says, stopping.

"Where's 'here?'" I ask.

Harry lifts the blindfold and I gasp in surprise. Right in front of us it the most beautiful little cottage I have ever seen. It's a two-story, all brick with a little gate in front of the house and there's flowers that line the walkway to the front door.

"Harry… w- what is this place?" I ask in awe.

He smiles sheepishly. "It's mine."

I look at him with my brows furrowed in confusion. "Yours? I- I don't understand."

"I just bought it. I'll explain inside; would you like a tour?"

I nod, not sure I have the proper words right now. He takes my hand in his and leads me inside the cottage. Once we walk through the threshold, I'm once again left speechless. The door opens into a large living room with lots of natural light coming in from the windows. Did I mention that it's fully furnished?

To the left of the living room is a small hallway with a staircase. We climb it and see three bedrooms and then the master (also furnished). As we return downstairs and tour the kitchen and dining room, Harry explains why he bought the house.

"When you mentioned moving to a bigger place, I started to look around for houses for sale and when I saw the advertisement for this house, I figured I'd just take a look around for the hell of it. I fell in love with it the second I walked in the door and I wanted to bring you back to take a look but you were at a meeting with Leo and the realtor said this place wasn't going to last very long so I bought it on the spot." He's rubbing the back of his neck nervously and avoiding eye contact with me.

"I know I should have talked about it with you first but I didn't want to lose this place. It just seemed so perfect and I acted impulsively and I-" he sighs and looks up at me, "I'm sorry. Are you mad?"

I smile at him and wrap my arms around his waist. "While I do wish that you had consulted me first, I'm going to let it slide because I know you had good intentions. And I _do_ love this house, Harry. It's perfect."

He smiles, relieved and unwraps my arms from his waist but continues to hold my hand. "I haven't even shown you the best part yet; come on!" He leads me to a set of double doors that are just off the living room. He grins at me and pushes the doors open and I feel my jaw drop the ground.

Inside, is a completely stocked library with wall to wall shelves, a seating area on one side of the room by two french doors that lead to the back garden, a fireplace on the other side of the room and a desk in the center. I think I just died and went to heaven.

"Oh, Harry, had you lost this house, I think I might have killed you," I say, half joking.

Harry chuckles. "I figured. There's something for you on the desk by the way."

I wander over to the desk and furrow my brows at the wrapped package on it. I unwrap it and nearly drop what's inside: it's my book. It's in physical book form too! The cover is leather with the title etched on it in gold lettering.

"It came in this morning while you were out with Tina and Newt," Harry explains. "I think there's a letter in there too."

I open the cover and, sure enough, I find a letter in the book; it's from Leo.

 _Hermione,_

 _Great news! The book got bumped up in production due to another book getting pulled for more editing. This is great because now you're book is going to be out_ _ **before**_ _Christmas! The new release date we're looking at is around early December (if I can pull some strings, it might be late November but don't take my word on that). I'll keep you updated if anything else changes._

 _Here's the first copy of the book. I thought you'd like to have it._

 _This book is gonna be huge, Hermione. Be ready for the wave of readers you'll most likely get at your bookstore._ _ **Everyone**_ _will want this book and will want to get a look at you. It may be annoying for a while but I know you're going to change lives with this amazing story of yours._

 _Owl me if you have any questions. See you soon, Hermione._

 _Kindest regards,_

 _Leo Montgomery._

My heart is pounding as I finish reading the letter. This is happening; it's really happening! My book is going to be published in less than a few months. Smiling, I turn around to Harry, only to find him down on one knee, holding a small box in his hand.

 _Holy shit_.

"Hermione, I- I'm not very good at speeches. And I had one planned for this but nothing ever felt right so I'm just going to try and wing my way through this. Hermione, ever since we were eleven years old and Ron and I saved you from that troll, you've been my best friend. You've saved my arse so many times, I've lost count and no matter what stupid decision I made, you never left; you may not have approved, but you always stood by my side.

"This past year, I've gotten to see a different side of you; the side that not only let me into your bed but into your heart. You let me love you as more than a best friend and I promise, for the rest of my life, I will love you as my best friend, my lover, and, hopefully, my wife with everything I have in me."

I have tears running down my face as he opens the box and pulls out a beautiful diamond ring. "Hermione Jean Cordelia Granger Scamander, will you marry me?"

I don't hesitate to answer. "Yes."

* * *

 ** _P.S. Hermione's ring and the cottage is on the BOL Pinterest board._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	22. Closure Pt 1

_**A/N: Happy Friday, everybody! I'm sorry to say there's two chapters left (including this one) so this story is just about over. However, there will be an epilogue, so that's something for you all to look forward to.**_

 _ **And this story hit 200 reviews! Thank you so much, you guys! That means so much to me!**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Closure Pt. I**

"Hey mum," I say, sitting down. "Hey dad. I have something for you." I pull the book out of my bag and place it in my lap. "I wrote a book; it's about my life growing up with my muggle parents and then it transitions into the story of you two and my life as a Scamander. It's gonna be released in a couple weeks but my publisher gave me the first copy. I'm going to keep it next to the original manuscript and the journal that inspired it in a special place in my new library.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that: Harry bought us a house. It's beautiful; there's a garden, a large living room, a kitchen that Harry was just itching to break into from the night we moved in, and, of course, the library. Just walking in there, it's like I'm living in a dream. There's so many books, I lost track trying to count them all. Gods, I wish you guys could see it. I think you'd love it as much as I do. And Grandad's going to let me take all the books from the family vault and put them into the library too!"

I sniff and smile down at my left hand. "Harry proposed the day he showed me the house too. Do you like my ring?" I show it to the headstones, watching the ring reflect from the sun. "Granny wants the wedding to be at the Cottage on Christmas Eve. I love the idea of the wedding being at the Cottage but I was worried about Christmas being too soon for the wedding but, you know Granny. She insisted and well, Harry and I agreed because telling her no didn't seem to be an option. She's already started planning everything down to the schedule of the day. She's taking me dress shopping with Luna, Ginny, and Joanna tomorrow. Wish me luck!"

I chuckle and run my fingers along the spine of my book. "I wish you were here; I wish I could have gotten to meet you. I have pictures of you and your story written down in my book but it's not the same; I wish I could see your smiles, hear your laughs, feel your hugs. Is it weird that I miss you?" I sigh and brush some hair behind my ear. "Rolf misses you too; he and Luna just got back from a nargle searching trip in New Zealand. He's very happy; and, don't quote me on this, but I think Luna might be pregnant. She came by a couple nights ago and wouldn't drink any alcohol and ate peanut butter and chocolate together (two things which she swears shouldn't mix). Rolf's helping Luna out at the Sanctuary today so he couldn't make it but he promises he'll stop by soon; he'll probably bring Luna too."

I look at my watch and sigh, putting my book back in my bag and creating a wreath of flowers with my wand for my parents. "I have to go; dinner with the Weasleys tonight. I'll be back soon; next time I'll bring Harry. His latest case just ended and he's been really enthusiastic about how he caught the criminal they were chasing. I think you'll like it." I stand up and kiss my fingers before placing them on the headstone. "I love you, mum and dad."

* * *

I was right; Luna _is_ pregnant! And, Merlin love her, I'm going to be the godmother! And yes, if you're wondering, I _did_ cry when they asked me. Can you blame me? I'm going to be an aunt!

I'll be sharing my godparent duties with Blake, of course, who had the best reaction I've ever seen! Apparently, Rolf sent him a letter the day before they asked me to be the godmother and, I kid you not, fifteen minutes after I accepted, Blake showed up at Rolf and Luna's front door and _tackled_ my brother accepting their request. He then spent the next hour explaining all the things he was going to teach his future godchild, ranging from Quidditch to clothes to American muggle football. Seeing him so excited was absolutely hilarious!

* * *

My book released yesterday morning and every single copy I ordered for my bookstore (which had to have been over a thousand copies at _least_ ) is gone. Anyone who didn't get a copy of the book just wanted to get a look at me; I had to call in Joanna and Luna and have them take over the store for me while I made a run for it and hunkered down back at The Bungalow (it's what Harry and I named our house). When Harry came home and found me curled up with Crookshanks, he called my other employees and told them that I was calling in sick for the week.

It's been nice, staying at home for a week. It's given me a chance to organize the library, send some letters, and go dress shopping for the wedding!

After a long day of shopping, I come home with my wedding gown in hand, grinning. I'm so excited that I found my dress! And Ginny, Merlin love her, found some gorgeous bridesmaid's dresses while in Italy for a game; she's bringing home three and will leave them at the Bungalow as soon as she gets back.

While I'm still alone, I put my dress on and spin around in it, just for the hell of it. "What do you think?" I ask Crookshanks. He meows in response and I laugh and scratch his head. I hear the floo downstairs roar and I jump back into my closet to take my dress off. Once it's safely back in the bag and I'm dressed in sweatpants and an old t-shirt of Harry's, I head downstairs.

I find Harry sitting in the library with a glass of Firewhiskey in his hand as he looks out to the back garden. He looks upset. "Harry?" I say.

He looks at me, his eyes full of sadness and I immediately go over to him and take his free hand in mine. "Harry, what's wrong?"

He sighs. "Vernon refuses to come to Dudley's wedding; and ours."

My heart clenches. Dudley and Cho have been engaged for over a year but have held off getting married because they wanted to convince Vernon to come to the wedding. I knew he probably wouldn't be open to coming to mine and Harry's but this is his _own son_ we're talking about! Anyway, Harry went over there today with Dudley to try and make him see reason; looks like it didn't go as planned. "What happened?"

"He threw a fit, as he always does. Just absolutely _refused_ to listen to reason and attempted to even persuade Dudley to _leave her_!"

"Jesus Christ," I say, leaning against the back of the couch. "You'd think with how much he loves his son, he'd put aside his stupid pride and just accept who his son fell in love with."

Harry shrugs. "You'd think. But that's Vernon for you."

"What did Petunia say?" I ask.

"She loves Cho! She thinks she's the sweetest girl on the planet and wants to be at the wedding but Vernon refuses to even let her go. And you know how he is: what he says goes because he's the head of the house."

"More like the arse of the house," I mutter and he chuckles.

Harry sighs but before I can say anything else, there's a knock at the front door. "I'll get it," I say, kissing his temple as I stand up. I walk to the door and open it up without thinking. "Cho?" I say in disbelief. "Dudley?"

"Hey, Hermione," Dudley says, sheepishly. I don't have a moment to question what's going on before Cho throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly; by the way she's shaking, it looks like she needs a friend right now. I nod inside to Dudley who follows me farther into the house and to the kitchen where I have Cho sit down at the table while I put the kettle on.

"Forgive me for sounding rude, but what are you doing here?" I ask, putting sugar and several types of tea on the table as I heat the water up.

Dudley sighs and squeezes Cho's hand. "We came here to talk to you and Harry about something. Is he here?"

"I'm right here," Harry says walking into the kitchen. He nods to them both before sitting across from them at the table. "What's going on?"

Dudley and Cho look at each other before looking back to us. "We're going to elope; and we'd like the two of you to be our witnesses."

The room falls silent. I definitely didn't see that coming; by the look on Harry's face, I don't think he did either. The silence is broken by the tea kettle whistling. I remove it from the burner and turn the stove off before turning back to Dudley and Cho. "Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask.

Cho speaks this time. "No; we wanted to do it right. The big white wedding, surrounded by friends and family… but that's not going to happen. Not right now at least."

"Maybe in a couple years, once my dad's gotten his head out of his arse, we'll be able to do it right but right now, I just want to get married to the love of my life," Dudley explains. "Nothing my father says or does will change that."

"But what about your parents, Cho? Surely, they'd be disappointed that they missed your wedding," I say.

She shrugs. "They'll get over it. I'm tired of waiting; I love Dudley and he loves me and we want to get married; tonight. We'd just really like someone else to be there for us. Someone who supports us."

Harry and I look to each other; he doesn't have to speak for me to know that we're on the same page. He looks back to them and clasps his hands together. "I want to make sure that you two know what you're getting yourselves into; you can't back out after it's done and, Dudley, you know your father will have a cow when he finds out. You sure you're ready for that?"

Dudley's hand tightens on Cho's and she leans into him. He nods. "I'm ready for anything as long as I've got Cho with me," he says, smiling at her. When she smiles back, I know that he's right.

Harry nods in understanding. "Then we're in."

* * *

 ** _P.S. Hermione's wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses are on Pinterest._**

 ** _Please review!_**


	23. Closure Pt 2

_**A/N: Alright, you guys. Last chapter today and the epilogue will be going up tomorrow. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. They make my days so much better!**_

 _ **Tallyho!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Closure Pt. 2**

Cho and I are standing in the room that she and Dudley rented in muggle London for the night. I'm pinning her hair back with an opal hair comb that stands out brilliantly against her dark hair. "It was my grandmother's," she replies when I ask her about it. "She always wanted me to wear it for my wedding then hand it down to my daughter for her wedding when the time came."

I smile and squeeze her hand. "Are you okay, Cho? Really?"

She gives me a sad smile and shakes her head. "This is so much different than from what I was expecting it to be. I'm happy it's Dudley; I love him and I can't imagine my life without him. I just… I wish his father would be more reasonable."

"Vernon will come around, eventually," I say. "He may be a stubborn pain in the arse but, at the end of the day, he loves his son. I know he'd rather accept that his daughter-in-law is a witch rather than lose his child; even if he has to swallow a lot of his pride to do it."

She smiles and chuckles at that. I push her bangs aside and smile at her. "I know this isn't what you were planning for your wedding but at the end of the day, you're marrying the love of your life. And that kind of outweighs everything else, don't you think?"

Her smile grows at that. "Yes, it does."

I nod and squeeze her hands one more time before letting her go and sliding my shoes on. "Well, we better head down. Don't wanna be late to your own wedding now, would you?"

She chuckles and shakes her head. A few minutes later, we're walking downstairs to the courtyard, a bouquet in one of Cho's hands and my hand in her free one. We walk in a comfortable silence and smile at the other hotel patrons who smile at us in return. When we reach the courtyard, Harry greets us, smiling.

"You ready?" he asks Cho.

She smiles and nods. He hugs her and kisses me quickly before walking down the aisle to stand with Dudley. When the soft melody of Cho and Dudley's song begins, I follow Harry's example and walk down the aisle, smiling reassuringly at Dudley. When I reach the altar, Cho begins to walk towards us. I hear Dudley's breath catch in his throat and I reach over to squeeze his hand. He looks at me and smiles before looking back to Cho.

Once she reaches him, they only have eyes for each other. They say their vows quietly and _to_ each other; their fingers are entwined and they're holding on tightly as if afraid to let each other go. I glance over to Harry who's smiling at his cousin. I'm glad they've made their peace with each other and they're getting along. I think this would have been a lot harder for Dudley had Harry not been here to support him.

A few minutes later, the ceremony is done and Dudley and Cho have their first kiss as husband and wife. They walk back up the aisle, hand in hand, and Harry and I follow, smiling. We eat dinner and toast to the happy couple in the hotel restaurant; the topic of the Dursleys is never brought up.

A couple hours later, we're hugging Dudley and Cho goodbye, with the promise that we'll all have dinner together as soon as they get back from their honeymoon, and then Harry and I apparate back home.

"Do you think we did the right thing, Harry?" I ask, as I take off my shoes and throw them in the closet. He shrugs and puts his coat on a hanger. "Who's to say what the right or wrong thing to do was in this situation. I don't regret helping them, though."

I smile. "Me either."

He smiles in return and pulls me into a hug. "At least we know our wedding won't be as stressful."

I laugh and nod. "If Granny has any say in it, the only thing I'll be stressed about is who I'm going to dance with next."

He chuckles and nods. "If that's the worst of our problems, I think we're off to a good start."

I kiss him lightly. "Yes, we are."

He kisses me again passionately and I quickly forget everything else except him.

* * *

I shouldn't be doing this; I should be _anywhere_ else but here… but it's too late. Just as I'm about to get up and walk out, I see them walk through the door. She makes eye contact with me first and pulls her husband towards my table. I will the knot in my stomach to relax and take a deep breath.

 _Here goes nothing._

Vernon and Petunia sit down across from me; Petunia orders two cups of coffee while Vernon looks like he smells something bad. We sit in silence until the waiter brings their coffees and he leaves us. I clasp my hands together to keep them from shaking and begin. "First, I'd just like to say thank you to both of you for meeting with me today."

Petunia gives me a weak smile but Vernon just scoffs. "What do you want, girl? I don't have all day," he says, rudely.

I'm grateful that I clasped my hands together because I'd love nothing more than to pull my wand out and hex this arsehole… but I don't. Instead, I take another deep breath and keep my voice steady. "I'd like to personally invite you to mine and Harry's wedding on Christmas Eve; it'll be on my grandparents property in Dorset."

Petunia begins to speak, but Vernon cuts her off. "Like we'd ever want to be anywhere _near_ your kind! You're nothing but a bunch of freaks; do us all a favor and piss off! We want nothing to do with you lot!"

I nearly whip my wand out and point it at him but when I get a look at his expression, I almost laugh. He looks like he's trying so hard to be threatening but he really looks like he's constipated. I smirk and chuckle but there's no humor behind it. "I'm not sure what amazes me more: that your head hasn't popped from your oversized ego or that you have yet to be punched for that attitude of yours." His face grows red but I don't let him get a word in. "You don't want to come to the wedding, fine; you two mean nothing to me so if you don't come, big deal. I just thought it would be a good way to get to know the only family my fiancé has left; and I thought it'd be a good chance for you to make peace with your son, but I see now that you obviously don't care."

"You've seen Dudley?" Petunia asks. Dudley hasn't spoken to or seen his parents since the big confrontation with him, Harry, and Vernon. Cho set up a bunch of wards around their house so neither Petunia or Vernon would be able to find them too. Cho's parents weren't happy about her and Dudley's decision to elope but they came around a lot faster than the Dursleys have.

"Yes, I just saw him last night," I reply, honestly. Dudley, Cho, Harry, and I have been doing weekly dinners and we'll alternate houses each week. It's been wonderful to spend more time with them; it's also given Harry and I a chance to entertain in our big dining room (when it's just me and him, we usually just eat in front of the telly).

"How is he?" she asks.

I bite my lip before answering. I want to tell them that he's never been happier, that he and Cho are loving married life, that he and Harry are becoming very close. But I don't. As much as I want to, it's not my place to tell them this. It's Dudleys. "He's fine;" I settle with, "if you come to the wedding, you'll be able to see him for yourself."

"Not going to happen," Vernon says. "So tell that freak boyfriend of yours to-" He shuts up when I point my wand at him (I cast a charm over the table when I first arrived so to anyone who looks over to us will just see us talking).

"Be very careful of your next words, Dursley," I warn. "I've faced Death Eaters, torture, war, and things you wouldn't even see in your worst nightmares. Believe me when I say that you don't scare me and I _will_ hex you if you say anything against Harry."

He swallows his next words and glares at me but keeps his mouth shut. I put my wand away and nod. "Thank you." I reach into my bag and pull out a wedding invitation and hand it to Petunia. "The invitation still stands; but know that if you do choose to come, I expect you to be on your best behavior," I say this part to Vernon, sternly. "I will not have anyone ruin my wedding day because you have a bad attitude about people who aren't like you." His eyes narrow at me and I raise an eyebrow in challenge. He says nothing; smart.

I look back to Petunia. "Even if you don't go to the wedding, call your son. Apologize. Make an effort to get to know Cho. It might save you from getting cut off from them forever."

I drop a couple pounds on the table for my coffee and leave the cafe, making a point not to look back.

* * *

It's here! My wedding day is here and I couldn't be more excited!

So far, the preparation process has been very similar to Luna's wedding: Granny kicked all the boys out (they're getting ready at the Bungalow) and we've all been relaxing and enjoying each other's company until it's time to start getting ready.

Ginny's my maid of honor while Joanna and Luna are my bridesmaids. Granny and Grandad will walk me down the aisle (since Rolf's a groomsman) and the Weasley twins will be officiating.

I know what you're thinking: Fred and George _officiate_ the wedding?! Believe me, I didn't think it was a good idea either but Harry insisted and they promised they wouldn't pull any stunts until the reception. I'm still skeptical but I figure either way, the day will be a memorable one.

When four o' clock hits, Granny ushers us upstairs to begin getting ready. Ginny, and her magic hands, manage to put my hair into a bun without using unnecessary amounts of product to make it behave (my hair has tamed over the years but it still has it's moments where it doesn't like to cooperate). Once that's done, she puts small flowers into my hair while I start on my makeup. As soon as I'm finished, Granny helps me into my dress while the rest of the girls finish getting ready.

An hour and a half later, we're dressed and ready to go. Perfect timing too since Rolf knocks on the door moments after the last of us is dressed. "You ladies decent?" he asks, peeking his head in.

"Define decent," Ginny says.

I laugh and nod for my brother to come in. He smiles and walks over to his wife and kisses her temple. Luna's just begun to show and she looks every bit as adorable as you'd imagine her to. Of course, she'd makes pregnancy look cute!

"The guests are starting to arrive," Rolf says, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Harry's here and talking to the twins. Last I heard, he was making them take away any fireworks that they had planned for the ceremony." I sigh in relief at that. "I can't make any promises for the reception, though," Rolf says. I shrug at that. You can't win every battle, right?

He kisses Luna before she leads the rest of the girls downstairs to get ready to start. Rolf smiles at me and takes my hands in his. "You look beautiful," he smiles.

I smile and blush. "Thank you."

He brushes a stray hair out of my face. "You ready?"

"More than ready," I say.

"Shall we?" he says, turning back towards the door.

"Rolf, wait," I say. I pull him back towards me and wrap him in a tight hug. "I'm not sure I ever told you this, but thank you. You've been my rock ever since we met and I will forever be grateful. And I'm really glad that you're my brother," I say, as I pull out of the hug.

He grins and wipes away a stray tear. "I'm really glad you're my sister," he says.

He takes my hand in his and leads me downstairs so I can go marry my best friend.

* * *

"Harry, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" I ask, nodding towards the edge of the garden.

His eyebrows raise in surprise. "Yes; yes, I am."

The Dursleys are standing far away from the reception buzz and talking with Dudley and Cho. By the smiles on the latter's faces, it looks like it's going well.

"I'm surprised they even showed up," I say. "Vernon seemed very set on not coming."

He shrugs. "Petunia doesn't argue with Vernon about much but she does know how to get her way. I'm sure she found a way to persuade him to come."

I watch as Dudley pulls Cho closer to him and smiles at her while talking to his parents. "You think they'll work it out?" I ask.

"I'm sure they will," Harry says. He takes my drink out of my hand and places it on the table. "May I have this dance, wife?"

I giggle. "You may, husband."

As he leads me onto the dance floor and spins me around, I can't help the smile that grows on my face. A year and a half ago, my entire life was flipped upside down; now, I'm more than happy with that flip. I have an amazing family who supports me, a husband who loves me, and a best-selling novel.

For the first time in a long time, I finally have closure. I'm at peace.

* * *

 ** _P.S. Thank you guys so much for all your support in this story. It means so much to me that you guys love this story. Epilogue will be posted tomorrow and, after that, Book of Lies is done. Hope you'll like it!_**

 ** _Cho's dress and the hair clip are on Pinterest._**

 ** _Please review._**


	24. Epilogue

_**A/N: This is it... the last chapter. It's been a process to get this story out but I'm so glad that I did. I'm also incredibly greatful to every one of you who has reviewed, followed, favorited, and just read this story. Thank you all for all your wonderful words of kindness and wisdom and I hope that you like this final chapter in the Book of Lies...**_

 _ **Tallyho!  
**_

* * *

 **Epilogue:**

"Auntie 'Mione, look what I can do!" My nephew Lysander says. He runs across the backyard and does a half-cartwheel. When he lands on his feet I give him a standing ovation. "That was amazing, 'Sander! I'm so proud of you!"

He grins and bows. "Uncle Blake taught me how to do it!"

I roll my eyes. _Of course he did_.

"Uncle Blake taught you how to do what?" Rolf asks, coming out onto the back porch, having just arrived a few minutes ago.

"DADDY!" Lysander says, running into his father's arms. Rolf picks him up and swings him around, causing the little blond to laugh loudly. I kiss my brother's cheek and leave them on the porch as I wander inside to find my husband. As I pass the living room, I find Luna with my other nephew (and Lysander's twin) Lorcan and my son, Andrew, coloring. Luna smiles at me and waves and I wave back and kiss my son on his head before wandering upstairs to continue searching for my husband.

I find him in our room, reading to our daughter, Olivia. I stop, just outside the doorway to listen to him read; it takes me a second to realize that he's reading her my book.

"'I was running out of ideas and _we_ were running out of time. If we didn't move fast, the goblins would gain on us and we'd be arrested for breaking and entering into Gringotts bank. I look back to the dragon and suddenly, an idea strikes me! It was a terrible idea in hindsight but it was the best one I had at the time. I took a few steps back, gave myself a running start, and _jumped_ onto the dragon! As soon as Harry and Ron followed my lead, I broke the dragon's chains and lead it out of the bank, destroying half the building in the process.'"

"Did that _really_ happen, Daddy?" Olivia asks, in awe.

I hear Harry's smile in his reply. "Yes, it did. Mummy refuses to admit it, but I know that she had fun while riding the dragon." I roll my eyes at that.

"Wow," Olivia says. She pauses, and then, "I wanna ride a dragon!"

I bust out laughing at that and make my presence known. "You're not allowed to ride any dragons until you're at _least_ thirty!" I say, still laughing. "In the meantime, you can make Uncle Draco pretend to be a dragon and ride him."

Harry busts out laughing at that but Olivia's eyes widen at that. "You think he'll let me?!" she asks.

I shrug. "If he says no, you can always go to Aunt Astoria and ask her. I'm sure she'll convince him."

Harry, still laughing, shakes his head. "He's gonna kill you when he finds out you suggested that."

I shrug. "I'm willing to take my chances." He rolls his eyes and kisses Olivia's head. "I think I heard Uncle Rolf downstairs; why don't you go play with him for a while and we'll finish reading this later, okay?"

She smiles and nods and begins to crawl off the bed but is thwarted when I snatch her up into my arms and start kissing her all over her face. She squeals with laughter and tries to hold off my kisses but all to no avail. When I feel that she's been thoroughly kissed, I release her and she runs downstairs, still laughing (don't worry, there's a cushioning charm on the stairs so even if she falls, she'll be okay).

Harry smiles and wraps his arms around me. "What time is everyone else getting here?"

"Ginny wrote me last night and said she and Neville would be getting here late since they're still on New Zealand time but everyone else should be getting here around six."

"They're gonna miss the big announcement," he says.

I roll my eyes. "She already knows, though! And I'm sure she's told Neville by now."

He chuckles. "Correction: they're going to miss everyone's _reaction_ to the announcement."

I shrug. "They'll survive." He laughs.

In case you're wondering what we're talking about, I'm pregnant again. And this is the _last time_! I was satisfied with two after Olivia was born but Harry really wanted another baby. After months of begging, I agreed to have _one_ more kid and less than six months later, I was pregnant.

I'm about four months along now. Harry wants another girl but I have a sneaking suspicion it's a boy. I have an appointment in two weeks so maybe we can find out then.

Harry pulls me closer and my thoughts fade as his lips meet mine. Quickly, my hands weave their way through his hair and his hands begin to run up and down my back. When we break, I'm left breathless. Even after all these years, he still makes my stomach flip when he kisses me like that.

I smile at him and adjust his glasses. "We're going to pick this up later tonight," I promise.

"I look forward to it," he smiles.

I peck him lightly one more time before he heads downstairs, leaving me alone in our room. I look over to my book and smile, running my fingers over the cover.

 _The Book of Lies_.

Amazing how I once thought that statement to be true. I know now that nothing in that book was a lie; I may be a pureblood but I'll always be a muggleborn in my soul. My parents may be Felix and Lucinda Scamander, but Cate and Brian Granger will always hold a special place in my heart; and I may have been born Hermione Scamander and grown up as Hermione Granger, but I'll spend the rest of my life as Hermione Potter, and that's a pretty damn good trade-off to me.

If you're wondering if you'll ever read my book, let me tell you a secret: you just did. Well, the second part, at least as you already knew the first half; and I may or may not have given you a few extra details that didn't make it into the book but you get the idea. It's been one hell of a journey, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Thanks for sharing it with me.

"Mummy! Uncle Ron and Aunt Joanna are here!" Andrew yells from downstairs.

I chuckle. Duty calls.

Now, go on and create your own story; maybe I'll even read it someday. See you around.

 **The End.**

* * *

 _ **P.S. Hope you guys liked it. Thank you again for all your support for this story; it means a lot to me.**_

 ** _Let me answer a few unspoken questions for a moment here:_**

 ** _1) I left many couple's stories unanswered on purpose. Yes, you know that Ginny and Neville and Ron and Joanna are still all together but I left their circumstances up in the air for the purpose of letting your imaginations go wild. I know where they are in my head and if you'd like to discuss theories, I'd be more than happy to do it on here or on Tumblr, whichever is easier for you (although, I admit, Tumblr is a bit easier for me but it's not crucial)._**

 ** _2) Tina and Newt were part of the "everybody" who would be arriving for Harry and Hermione's announcement. Don't worry, they're still around._**

 ** _3) ... Actually, I think that's it._**

 ** _Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go study for my finals! See you all soon!_**

 ** _Stay Golden!_** ** _  
_**


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